🔗 Share this article US Military Struck a 'Major Complex' in Venezuela, Trump Claimed Lacking Providing Details. Former President Trump has claimed that American forces struck a "large installation" in the South American country in recent days. However, the former president did not specify the precise nature or site of the target, and there has been no additional comment from his administration. Vague Remarks Offered In a Talk Interview "US forces just eliminated – I don't know if you saw – they have a major complex, where the ships depart from. Recently, we knocked that out. So we hit them decisively," Trump reportedly told GOP supporter and supermarket owner John Catsimatidis in a recent interview. Potential Significance of a Verified Strike If a American strike is confirmed, it would constitute the initial attack on Venezuelan soil since the Pentagon initiated a buildup of US military presence in the Caribbean region to halt narco-trafficking operations that the Trump administration claims operate under the direction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The original objective of the military buildup has evolved into a blockade aimed at stopping the country's crude oil shipments. Social Media Video and Administration Claims Trump has for some time warned that US forces are ready to expand the military campaign by hitting objectives inside Venezuela, a move that would in theory require congressional approval. Video footage circulated online on 24 December appeared to show an detonation reportedly from an industrial area in a Venezuelan state. But, the video or the site in question has not been confirmed by third parties. An official from Trump's team reportedly informed a media outlet that the former president was referring to a drug facility in his remarks. Response and Ongoing Military Posture The Venezuelan government has not commented on the event Trump described. Furthermore, there have been no verified accounts from Venezuela regarding it. The presence of American forces in the area – a stance certain officials have termed a maritime "quarantine" – constitutes the broadest maritime enforcement action of Trump's presidency. Officials have stopped short from describing the action as a blockade, but have stated that about 15,000 personnel are stationed across the Caribbean and the Gulf, including a aircraft carrier group, advanced fighter jets, and Coast Guard cutters to implement existing economic sanctions.