WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is intensifying its military pressure on Venezuela. Reports of a fresh strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean, B-52 bombers flying off the Venezuelan coast, and the Thursday announcement of an early departure of the head of the U.S. Southern Command all point to this.
The U.S. military hit a suspected narcotics boat in the southern Caribbean on Thursday, and there were survivors aboard from the airstrike, multiple U.S. media outlets reported, citing an anonymous U.S. official.
The number of casualties and survivors has not been disclosed, and the Trump administration has not confirmed the attack.
Since September, Washington has announced at least five strikes that sank vessels identified by the United States as drug-trafficking boats in international waters near Venezuela, killing 27 people aboard in total. This is the first incident reportedly leaving survivors.
U.S. media also reported on Thursday that three B-52 bombers were circling near Venezuelan airspace on Wednesday for several hours. Tracking data from Flightradar24 confirmed the flight was about 240 km north of Venezuela.
The flying off "appears to be an unprecedented show of force intended to pressure the Venezuelan president to step down," said an ABC News report.
The Washington Post and The New York Times reported on Thursday that U.S. Army Special Operations helicopters have recently conducted training flights close to Venezuela's coastline.
The U.S. military's elite Special Operations aviation unit appears to have flown in Caribbean waters less than 145 km from the coast of Venezuela in recent days, the Washington Post reported.
On Thursday night, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that Admiral Alvin Holsey, commander of the United States Southern Command, which oversees Pentagon operations in Latin America, will retire at the end of the year.
Holsey has served less than one year in the post, far short of the typical three years, according to a report from The New York Times. So far, no reason has been given for his sudden departure.
It's estimated that currently the Trump administration has deployed roughly 10,000 U.S. troops, eight warships, one nuclear-powered submarine, and multiple fighter jets across the Caribbean region.
On Wednesday, Trump confirmed he had authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela and was considering possible ground strikes.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has repeatedly condemned Washington's actions as an attempt at government change and military expansion in Latin America. ■