In a major shift for regional security, the Trump administration confirmed this week that the United States has conducted its first known land operation in Venezuela. The strike marks a significant departure from previous maritime interdictions and signals a new, more aggressive phase in the administration’s “Operation Southern Spear.”+1
The operation, which reportedly took place around December 24, 2025, targeted a critical logistics hub along the Venezuelan coast.
1. The Target: A “Drug-Loading” Hub
President Trump first hinted at the strike during a radio interview and provided further confirmation while meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago on December 29.
- Nature of the Strike: While the White House and Pentagon have been reserved with details, reports indicate the CIA carried out a drone strike on a port facility.
- The Location: The strike hit a dock area allegedly used by the Tren de Aragua cartel to store and load narcotics onto boats bound for the United States.
- The Damage: Trump described a “major explosion” that leveled the facility, stating the site is “no longer around.” Sources suggest there were no casualties, as the facility was empty at the time of the attack.+1
2. Legal and Political Fallout
The shift from international waters to sovereign Venezuelan soil has triggered intense debate in Washington and abroad.
- Congressional Concerns: Democrats and some legal experts have raised alarms over the lack of congressional authorization for land strikes. Critics argue that such actions bypass traditional oversight and risk escalating into a broader conflict.
- Administration Justification: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has defended the operations, citing “absolute and complete authority” to protect the American people from narco-terrorism and the flow of fentanyl.
- Venezuelan Response: President Nicolás Maduro’s government has denounced the U.S. buildup and maritime blockade as acts of “piracy,” though Caracas has been uncharacteristically quiet regarding the specific details of this land strike.
3. Part of a Broader Blockade
The land strike is the pinnacle of a months-long pressure campaign that has seen:
- Over 30 U.S. strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific since September 2025.
- The deaths of at least 107 individuals linked to alleged smuggling operations.
- A “quasi-blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers, aimed at cutting off the Maduro government’s primary revenue stream.
- New sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong-based firms accused of helping Venezuela evade oil restrictions, announced as recently as January 1, 2026.
4. Global Implications for 2026
Foreign policy analysts, including those from the Council on Foreign Relations, have identified the escalation in Venezuela as a “Tier I” conflict risk for 2026. The move toward direct strikes on land suggests that the administration is willing to risk regional instability to provoke a regime collapse or dismantle criminal networks.
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