The U.S. military flew a pair of fighter jets over the Gulf of Venezuela on Tuesday in what appears to be the closest American warplanes have come to the South American country's airspace since the start of the Trump administration's pressure campaign.

Public flight-tracking websites showed a pair of U.S. Navy F/A-18 fighter jets flying over the gulf — a body of water bounded by Venezuela and only about 240 kilometres at its widest point — and spending more than 30 minutes over its waters.

A U.S. defence official confirmed a pair of jets conducted a "routine training flight" in the area.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations, could not say if the jets were armed but noted they stayed in international airspace during their flight.

The

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