WP: US may launch airstrikes on Venezuelan drug-trafficking hubs

Washington has reportedly identified military targets in Venezuela that are involved in the smuggling of drugs, raising the chances of potential US airstrikes.

This revelation was exclusively reported by the Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed US officials familiar with the matter.

The Trump administration has reportedly identified several military targets in Venezuela allegedly linked to drug smuggling operations, which could pave the way for potential US airstrikes.

This revelation was exclusively reported by the Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed US officials familiar with the matter.

The publication states that striking such targets—if President Donald Trump authorises the operation—would send a clear message to Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro to step down.

The anonymous officials told the paper that while the US president has not yet made a final decision, potential targets include ports and airports controlled by the Venezuelan military, which are allegedly used to traffic drugs, as well as naval bases and airstrips involved in the illicit trade.

The Wall Street Journal noted that such an operation would represent “a significant escalation” of Washington’s anti-narcotics campaign, which has so far been limited to airstrikes on suspected drug boats operating in the Caribbean.

Since taking office, Trump has vowed to crack down on illegal narcotics trafficking from Latin America into the United States—a crisis he has blamed for tens of thousands of American deaths annually. Under his administration, the US has deployed unprecedented levels of military power in the Caribbean, targeting Venezuelan vessels believed to be transporting drugs in the past weeks.

Trump’s anti-narcotics agenda has placed particular emphasis on fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid largely produced in Mexico and China. Fatal overdoses involving fentanyl have surged across the US in recent years, with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announcing that the drug has become “the leading cause of death in the United States for people ages 18 to 45.”

Venezuela's President Maduro has accused the US of "fabricating a new war" following Washington's decision this week to deploy the world's largest warship, the USS Gerald R Ford, to the Caribbean.

By Nazrin Sadigova