According to CNN, the CIA conducted a drone strike earlier this month on a port facility on the Venezuelan coast.
The outlet said sources told them the strike targeted a remote dock on the coast that the “US government believed was being used by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua to store drugs and move them onto boats for shipping.”
Exclusive: The CIA conducted a drone strike in December on a remote dock on the Venezuelan coast, sources told CNN, the first known US attack inside the countryhttps://t.co/439vcFjLNz
— CNN (@CNN) December 30, 2025
CNN shared further:
No one was present at the facility at the time it was struck, so there were no casualties, according to the sources.
Two sources said US Special Operations Forces provided intelligence support to the operation, underscoring their continued involvement in the region. But Col. Allie Weiskopf, a spokesperson for US Special Operations Command, denied that, saying, “Special Operations did not support this operation to include intel support.”
President Donald Trump appeared to first acknowledge the attack in an interview last week that initially attracted little notice, though he offered few specifics, including when reporters asked directly about it on Monday.
The strike could significantly escalate tensions between the US and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who the US has been pressuring to step down through an aggressive military campaign.
“They have a big plant or a big facility where the ships come from,” Trump said during the interview.
“Two nights ago, we knocked that out. So we hit them very hard,” he added.
Take a listen:
🇺🇸 🇻🇪 President Trump says in an interview that the U.S. struck Venezuela on December 26th:
“We just knocked out, I don’t know if you read or you saw, they have a big plant, a big facility where the ships come from; two nights ago we knocked that out. So we hit them very hard.” pic.twitter.com/AYSMcGBz4n
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) December 28, 2025
Trump addressed his comments to reporters on Monday.
“Did the military do that?” one reporter asked.
“There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs,” Trump said.
“So we hit all the boats, and now we hit the area. It’s the implementation area. That’s where they implement, and that is no longer around,” he continued.
Trump gave no further comment.
Footage below:
JUST IN: The United States has conducted its first land strike against Venezuela, according to President Donald Trump.
Reporter: You mentioned in a radio interview ... did the military do that?
Trump: There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up… pic.twitter.com/XMIZf1vT2q
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 29, 2025
The Hill noted:
The Venezuelan government has not commented on the strike.
ADVERTISEMENTTrump confirmed in October that he authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela.
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