Two Venezuelan military aircraft flew near a US Navy vessel in international waters on Thursday, in a move the US Department of Defense called “highly provocative.”

“Today, two Maduro regime military aircraft flew near a U.S. Navy vessel in international waters. This highly provocative move was designed to interfere with our counter narco-terror operations,” the Defense Department said in a statement on X.

“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 US military,” the statement continued.

CNN has reached out to the Defense Department and the White House for additional comment.

The action comes amid growing tension between Venezuela and the Un

See Full Page