🔗 Share this article American Military Struck a 'Large Plant' in Venezuela, President Trump Asserted Without Providing Details. Former President Trump has asserted that US forces struck a "major installation" in the South American country recently. But, the former president withheld information about the exact purpose or site of the strike, and there has been no additional comment from his camp. Unspecific Remarks Made During a Radio Interview "We just eliminated – I'm not sure if you saw – they have a big plant, where the vessels depart from. Two nights ago, we knocked that out. So we struck them decisively," Trump allegedly told GOP supporter and supermarket owner John Catsimatidis in a recent interview. Potential Significance of a Verified Strike Should a US strike were to be verified, it would mark the first attack on Venezuelan soil since the US Department of Defense initiated a buildup of US strike forces in the Caribbean region to interdict narco-trafficking operations that the former administration asserts operate under the direction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. This stated objective of the military buildup has transformed into a blockade aimed at disrupting the nation's oil exports. Social Media Video and Administration Statements Trump has for some time stated that American military units are poised to escalate the operations by hitting objectives inside Venezuela, a move that would theoretically require legislative authorization. Video footage posted on social media on 24 December seemed to depict an detonation allegedly from an industrial area in Zulia state. But, the video or the site in question has not been confirmed by third parties. An source reportedly told a media outlet that the president was referring to a narco-trafficking site in his comments. Response and Current Military Situation The Maduro government has issued no statement on the incident the former president described. Furthermore, there have been no independent reports from within the country concerning it. The buildup of American forces in the area – a posture certain officials have referred to as a sea blockade – constitutes the broadest maritime enforcement action of the Trump era. Sources have refrained from labeling the operation as a blockade, but have confirmed that approximately 15,000 personnel are deployed across the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf, including a aircraft carrier group, advanced fighter jets, and law enforcement vessels to enforce current sanctions.