🔗 Share this article US Forces Targeted a 'Big Plant' in the Venezuelan nation, Trump Stated Without Offering Specifics. Ex-President Donald Trump has claimed that American military assets hit a "significant installation" in Venezuela last week. But, the former president did not specify the precise nature or location of the target, and officials have issued no additional comment from his team. Unspecific Remarks Made During a Radio Interview "US forces just destroyed – I don't know if you saw – they have a large facility, where the ships depart from. Two nights ago, we destroyed it. So we hit them with significant force," Trump reportedly informed GOP supporter and businessman John Catsimatidis on Friday. Potential Significance of a Confirmed Attack Should a American military action were to be verified, it would represent the initial attack on Venezuelan soil since the US Department of Defense began a expansion of US strike forces in the region to interdict narco-trafficking operations that the former administration asserts operate under the direction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. This initial purpose of the force deployment has transformed into a blockade aimed at stopping the country's crude oil shipments. Online Video and Administration Claims Trump has for some time indicated that American military units are prepared to widen the military campaign by hitting objectives within Venezuela, a tactic that would in theory require legislative approval. Video footage circulated online on 24 December purportedly showed an explosion said to be from an industrial zone in Zulia state. However, the video or the facility has not been confirmed by third parties. An official from Trump's team allegedly informed a media outlet that the former president was referring to a narco-trafficking site in his comments. Response and Current Strategic Situation The Venezuelan government has issued no statement on the incident Trump referenced. Furthermore, there have been no corroborating news from within the country regarding it. The presence of American forces in the region – a position some have referred to as a sea blockade – constitutes the largest maritime enforcement action of the Trump era. Sources have stopped short from calling the operation as a blockade, but have stated that approximately 15,000 service members are deployed across the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, including a carrier strike group, F-35 aircraft, and law enforcement vessels to implement existing sanctions.