U.S. Strikes Drug Boat Loading Facility in Venezuela, U.S. President Says

Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump looks on before departing for the Army/Navy football game in Baltimore, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., 13 December 2025.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that the U.S. had "hit" an area in Venezuela where boats are loaded with drugs, marking the first known time Washington has carried out land operations in Venezuela since a pressure campaign began against President Nicolas Maduro's government.

"There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs," President Trump said.

"We hit all the boats, and now we hit the area ... it's the implementation area. That's where they implement, and that is no longer around."

Asked if the CIA had carried out the attack, President Trump said: "I don't want to say that. I know exactly who it was but I don't want to say who it was."

President Trump has previously said that he has authorised the CIA to carry out covert operations in Venezuela.

On a radio show last week, President Trump made vague comments about an apparent U.S. operation against a "big facility" in Venezuela.

Primazol, a chemical plant in Zulia state which suffered a fire on Christmas Eve, has denied online rumors that the blaze was what President Trump alluded to in his comments. The company also said the fire was quickly extinguished and was under investigation. 

President Trump's administration has previously touted its success in taking out suspected drug trafficking vessels, and the Pentagon has posted footage of several of its strikes on social media.

The lack of response by U.S. national security agencies had raised questions about whether the incident Trump mentioned was carried out covertly. Such an operation would likely limit the ability of U.S. officials to speak on the matter.

Source: Reuters



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