WASHINGTON – In a bold maneuver, the United States military dispatched two fighter jets into the skies above the Gulf of Venezuela this past Tuesday. This move marks one of the nearest approaches American warplanes have made to Venezuelan airspace since the Trump administration initiated its campaign of pressure against the South American nation.

According to public flight tracking websites, a duo of U.S. Navy F/A-18 fighter jets traced a path over the Gulf, a significant body of water that lies adjacent to Venezuela and spans approximately 150 miles at its broadest. These jets spent over half an hour navigating the international waters. A U.S. defense official confirmed the operation, describing it as a “routine training flight” conducted within the vicinity.

While specifics regarding whether the jets were armed remain undisclosed, the official, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of military operations, emphasized that the aircraft remained strictly in international airspace throughout their mission.

The official further clarified that the exercise was akin to previous training missions, designed to demonstrate the capability and reach of U.S. aircraft, and was not intended as a provocation. It underscores the military’s strategic presence and readiness in the region.

Historically, the U.S. military has deployed B-52 Stratofortress and B-1 Lancer bombers to the area, which have flown parallel to Venezuela’s coastline. However, none have ventured as close to Venezuelan territory as the F/A-18 jets did on this occasion, highlighting the significance of Tuesday’s flight path.

The flights are the latest action the U.S. military has taken as it has built up its largest presence in the region in decades and launched a series of deadly strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. President Donald Trump says land attacks are coming soon but has not offered any details on location.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has insisted the real purpose of the U.S. military operations is to force him from office.

The Trump administration is facing increasing scrutiny from lawmakers over the boat strike campaign, which has killed at least 87 people in 22 known strikes since early September, including a follow-up strike that killed two survivors clinging to the wreckage of a boat after the first hit.

Lawmakers are demanding to get unedited video from the strikes, but Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told congressional leaders Tuesday he was still weighing whether to release it. Hegseth provided a classified briefing for congressional leaders alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other top national security officials.

The same day, Adm. Alvin Holsey, who will be retiring from U.S. Southern Command in this week, spoke separately with the Republican chairman and ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Trump has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and asserted the U.S. is engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels.

Flightradar24, one of the websites that allowed the public to see the jets flying in real time, said the planes were the most tracked flights on its site at the time.

Venezuela has claimed that the body of water is part of the country’s national territory, but those claims have been challenged by U.S. legal scholars and the military for decades.