U.S. Fighter Jets Circle Near Venezuela

Two U.S. fighter jets were spotted circling the Gulf of Venezuela on Tuesday, adding to growing tensions between the United States and Venezuela.

The BBC reported that the F/A-18 Super Hornet jets appeared on public flight-tracking websites near the city of Maracaibo, Venezuela’s second-largest city, and looped over the gulf for about 40 minutes. A U.S. defence official described the mission as a “routine training flight”, although its location and timing have raised questions.

Flight-tracking data also showed a separate US aircraft, an EA-18G Growler, flying loops just north of Venezuela’s coastline shortly before the two fighter jets arrived. The Growler is used for electronic warfare and can detect radar signals and other forms of electronic activity.

Military experts say the combination of aircraft suggests the US may have been testing or observing Venezuela’s defence systems. The Growler can gather sensitive intelligence, while the Super Hornets can provide air cover if needed.

The F/A-18s flew within 20 nautical miles of Venezuela’s coast but remained in international airspace, according to the tracking data cited by the BBC.

The sighting comes at a time when the U.S. has carried out several deadly strikes on boats in the Caribbean Sea since September. The Trump administration has accused President Nicolás Maduro of enabling drug trafficking, an allegation he denies. Maduro, in turn, accuses the U.S. of seeking control of Venezuela’s oil resources and attempting to overthrow his government.

Meanwhile, the U.S. has been increasing its military presence in the Caribbean. The USS Gerald Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, is now operating in the region. BBC Verify reported that satellite images have also identified at least nine U.S. military ships nearby. A former U.S. airbase in Puerto Rico, which was closed in 2004, has also been reactivated, with runway repairs completed and F-35 fighter jets now stationed there.