The United States made a significant move on Tuesday by deploying two fighter jets over the Gulf of Venezuela. This maneuver marked one of the closest known instances of U.S. military aircraft approaching Venezuelan airspace, as reported by various sources.

These F/A-18 jets were tracked on Flightradar24 as they conducted a flight lasting approximately 30 minutes over the waters north of Venezuela. According to the Associated Press, this operation was notable for its proximity to Venezuelan territory.

A U.S. defense official, requesting anonymity, characterized the mission as a “routine training flight.” The purpose of this exercise, they explained, was to showcase the jets’ operational capabilities and range.

While the official did not specify whether the aircraft were equipped with weapons, they reassured that the mission was conducted entirely within the boundaries of international airspace, adhering to established protocols.

The official also did not disclose whether the jets were armed but did emphasize that the operation remained entirely within international airspace.

Tuesday’s dual flight follows months of heightened U.S. military activity in the region.

Although the U.S. has previously flown B-52 Stratofortress and B-1 Lancer bombers along Venezuela’s coastline, those aircraft did not appear to approach as closely as Tuesday’s F/A-18s.

The U.S. military deployed F/A-18 jets near Venezuelan airspace in what defense officials described as routine training to demonstrate operational reach. (Julian Abram Wainwright/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The increase in activity in the region first began after U.S. strikes on alleged drug-smuggling vessels in both the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific.

The first reported U.S. military strike on a vessel that allegedly departed from Venezuela carrying drugs was in September.

The Trump administration said the operations were essential to curbing illicit drug trafficking, though Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro continues to deny this.

Tensions surrounding Venezuelan airspace escalated in November after President Trump instructed airlines to treat the region as effectively closed, aligning with FAA warnings to civilian carriers.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro holds a ceremonial sword said to have belonged to independence hero Simon Bolivar during a government-organized civic-military march in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. (Ariana Cubillos/AP Photo)

Retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery, senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation previously told Fox News Digital that Venezuela’s most significant military threat stems from its own air-naval systems.

He said that included fighter jets, limited surface vessels, and Russian-made surface-to-air missiles.

“Reasonably speaking, in the first day or two of a campaign plan, we can eliminate the air and maritime threat to U.S. forces,” Montgomery said.

Isaias Medina, an international lawyer and former Venezuelan diplomat, also said Venezuela’s own military capabilities look better on paper than in reality.