🔗 Share this article American Forces Targeted a 'Major Complex' in Venezuela, Trump Claimed Without Offering Specifics. Former President Donald Trump has asserted that American forces targeted a "major facility" in Venezuela last week. But, the ex-leader withheld information about the exact purpose or site of the target, and there has been no additional comment from his team. Unspecific Remarks Made In a Radio Interview "US forces just destroyed – I'm not sure if you heard – they have a big plant, where the ships depart from. Recently, we destroyed it. So we struck them very hard," Trump reportedly said to Republican donor and businessman John Catsimatidis in a recent interview. Potential Implications of a Confirmed Strike Should a US military action is verified, it would mark the first ground target hit since the US Department of Defense began a increase of US strike forces in the region to halt narco-trafficking operations that the Trump administration asserts operate under the authority of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. This initial purpose of the military buildup has evolved into a blockade aimed at stopping the nation's crude oil shipments. Social Media Footage and Administration Claims Trump has for some time stated that American military units are poised to expand the military campaign by hitting targets within Venezuela, a move that would in theory require congressional authorization. Online video shared on social media on 24 December seemed to depict an blast said to be from an industrial area in Zulia state. However, the video or the site in question has not been corroborated. An source allegedly informed a news network that the former president was referring to a narco-trafficking site in his remarks. Reaction and Current Strategic Situation The Maduro government has remained silent on the alleged strike the former president described. Additionally, there have been no verified accounts from Venezuela concerning it. The presence of US military in the region – a stance certain officials have called a sea blockade – represents the most expansive naval operation of his time in office. Administration officials have stopped short from describing the operation as a full blockade, but have confirmed that approximately 15,000 service members are positioned across the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, including a carrier strike group, advanced fighter jets, and Coast Guard cutters to enforce current economic sanctions.