CARACAS, Sep 6: Venezuelan fighter jets carried out sorties near a US Navy destroyer in international waters off South America for two days straight, with US Defence Department officials terming Caracas actions as escalating into a game of chicken”, reports CBS News.
The move, which comes amid increasing US military presence near the Caribbean, has prompted Washington to accuse Caracas of increasing military aggression.
The incidents involved F-16 aircraft approaching the USS Jason Dunham, an Aegis guided-missile destroyer currently deployed to the Caribbean as part of US counter-narcotics operations.
According to US Defence Department officials, the first flyover occurred on Thursday, when two Venezuelan F-16s passed within weapons range of the vessel. Later that night, a second Venezuelan jet carried out another pass. It was not immediately clear if the aircraft were armed.
The Pentagon described the manoeuvres as highly provocative and an attempt to interfere with operations against drug-trafficking networks. It was a game of chicken, one US official said, confirming that the Dunham did not respond.
The destroyer is among at least seven US warships sent to the region in recent weeks, carrying more than 4,500 sailors and Marines. The deployment follows orders from President Donald Trump to intensify efforts against what Washington designates as narco-terror groups.
On Tuesday, the White House confirmed a US strike on a Venezuelan boat allegedly used by the Tren de Aragua gang, which it has labelled a foreign terrorist organisation. Eleven people were killed in the operation, which Caracas condemned as aggression disguised as counter-narcotics enforcement.
President Nicol s Maduro has vowed to defend Venezuela s sovereignty and accused the Trump administration of using anti-cartel operations as cover to increase military pressure on his government. He warned that the country would move to a phase of armed struggle if attacked.
We will protect our territorial integrity against any form of aggression, Maduro said last week, unveiling plans for new citizen militias to reinforce Venezuela s defence.
The incidents with the Jason Dunham underline the growing risks of confrontation. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Trump warned Caracas against further provocations.
If they fly in a dangerous position, I would say they re going to be in trouble, he said, adding that the final decision on engagement would rest with US naval commanders.
Relations between Washington and Caracas have been at their lowest point in years. On 7 August, the US Attorney General announced a $50 million reward for information leading to Maduro s arrest, accusing him of running the Cartel de los Soles. The announcement was quickly followed by the deployment of naval assets to the region.
Venezuela responded by stepping up air sorties and conducting military exercises near its coastline, with Caracas insisting that US operations threaten regional stability.
Although Trump denied planning regime change, his administration has steadily tightened economic sanctions on Venezuela while backing the opposition s claims of fraud in the country s 2024 presidential election.
With both sides escalating militarily, regional analysts warn that the standoff risks slipping into direct confrontation if further close encounters at sea or in the air continue unchecked.
The worries are only worsened, as US officials are now considering despatching an additional 10 F-35 fighter jets to the Caribbean, in response to Venezuela s show of force. The Pentagon has not confirmed whether the plans have been finalised.
(UNI)
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