The Pentagon confirmed late yesterday that Venezuelan military aircraft overflew a U.S. Navy ship operating in the Caribbean. “Today, two Maduro regime military aircraft flew over a U.S. Navy vessel operating in international waters,” the Pentagon said in a statement [https://x.com/DeptofDefense/status/1963775938233299235/photo/1] posted on X. “This highly provocative move was designed to interfere with our counter narco-terror operations. The cartel running Venezuela is strongly advised not to pursue any further effort to obstruct, deter or interfere with counter-narcotics and counter-terror operations carried out by the U.S. military.”
CBS News, citing unnamed Defense Department officials, had earlier reported that a Venezuelan F-16’s had overflown the guided missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham, with one official describing the overflight as a “show of force.”
Venezuela bought 24 F-16’s from the U.S. in 1982, but, according to Flight International’s World Air Forces 2025 publication, only 4 are still in service. The Venezuelan air force otherwise depends on 21 Russian-made Su-30MK2 jet fighters purchased in 2005 and delivered in 2008.
