Washington, D.C., 13 December (H.S.): The United States military conducted multiple flights of fighter jets, bombers, and surveillance drones along Venezuela's coastline in recent weeks, heightening fears of escalation amid a naval buildup in the Caribbean framed as counter-narcotics operations.

On Tuesday, two US Navy F/A-18 jets patrolled the Gulf of Venezuela for over 40 minutes, venturing within 20 miles of the shore, while a long-range drone executed hours-long sweeps across a 500-mile Caribbean stretch—the first such mission in at least a month.

Additional high-altitude drone activity occurred Friday morning in the same region, complemented by five B-1 and B-52 bomber sorties plus two more F/A-18 flights within 25 miles of Venezuelan territory between late October and late November.

Untracked F-35 stealth jets have also escorted bombers, according to US military imagery, as Washington accuses President Nicolas Maduro of helming the Cartel of the Suns—designated a narco-terrorist entity last month with a $50 million bounty on his capture.

The deployments follow US strikes since September on suspected drug-smuggling vessels, which have killed nearly 90 people and drawn Maduro's ire as a regime-change ploy. President Donald Trump warned Monday that Maduro's days are numbered, refusing to exclude a ground invasion, while a massive warship flotilla bolsters the anti-trafficking rationale amid regional friction.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar