🔗 Share this article US Military Struck a 'Major Facility' in the Venezuelan nation, Trump Asserted Without Offering Details. Former President Donald Trump has asserted that American forces hit a "significant plant" in the South American country recently. But, the former president did not specify the exact nature or site of the target, and there has been no additional comment from his team. Vague Comments Made In a Radio Interview "US forces just eliminated – I don't know if you read – they have a big plant, where the vessels come from. Two nights ago, we took it out. So we struck them decisively," Trump allegedly told GOP supporter and businessman John Catsimatidis on Friday. Potential Implications of a Verified Attack If a US military action is verified, it would constitute the first attack on Venezuelan soil since the Pentagon initiated a expansion of American strike forces in the Caribbean region to halt drug traffickers that the Trump administration alleges operate under the orders of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. The initial purpose of the military buildup has since morphed into a quarantine aimed at hindering the nation's oil exports. Online Video and Official Claims Trump has for weeks indicated that American military units are prepared to widen the military campaign by striking objectives inside Venezuela, a tactic that would in theory require legislative authorization. Online video circulated on social media on 24 December purportedly showed an detonation reportedly from an industrial zone in Zulia state. But, the video or the facility has not been corroborated. An administration official allegedly informed a news network that the former president was referring to a drug facility in his comments. Response and Current Military Posture The Caracas administration has remained silent on the incident the former president described. Furthermore, there have been no independent reports from Venezuela about it. The buildup of US military in the region – a position some have termed a naval quarantine – represents the largest naval operation of his time in office. Administration officials have avoided from labeling the operation as a full blockade, but have stated that approximately 15,000 service members are deployed across the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, including a carrier strike group, advanced fighter jets, and Coast Guard cutters to enforce current economic sanctions.