Military expert Colonel Hatim al-Falahi said there is a possibility of US military operations inside Venezuela, noting that the United States has launched a military operation called “Southern Spear” in the Caribbean region aimed at pursuing boats used in drug trafficking across multiple areas.
Al-Falahi added, in a military analysis for Al Jazeera, that US President Donald Trump’s announcement on Saturday of closing Venezuelan airspace may indicate the likelihood of a swift military action.
He explained that an airspace ban itself is not necessary if military operations have already begun, since the skies become entirely clear of aircraft. He pointed out that the purpose of the ban may be to exert pressure on the Venezuelan government.
Al-Falahi suggested that reinforcing the military build-up with F-35 fighter jets and drones in the region may increase the likelihood of a US military escalation inside Venezuela, but such action would remain limited due to the presence of intelligence arms from the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operating inside the country.
As for Washington’s possible options, according to al-Falahi, they include forcing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to step down, supporting factions within the army to revolt against him, or carrying out strikes on drug-smuggling depots and the locations of gang leaders.
Political pressure also remains an additional tool, especially given Venezuela’s strong relations with China, Iran, and Russia, making control over its resources a priority for US national security.
Al-Falahi added that the US deployment includes around eight warships, in addition to the aircraft carrier Gerald Ford with three supporting ships, a nuclear submarine, and a special operations vessel, along with aerial build-up and special forces for reconnaissance. This indicates that any military operations would be limited but capable of carrying out precise strikes inside the country.
The military expert noted that moving an aircraft carrier requires a presidential decision within a month, considering the constraints of extended presence in the region. This means that any potential operations will depend on precise assessments from US leadership.
Trump wrote on Saturday on his social platform Truth Social: “To all airlines, pilots, drug dealers, and human traffickers, take into consideration that the airspace over and around Venezuela will be completely closed.”
This comes at a time when Washington has intensified its pressure on Venezuela by deploying a large force in the Caribbean, including the largest aircraft carrier in the world. The United States maintains that this deployment aims to curb drug trafficking, while Caracas sees it as an attempt to overthrow President Maduro and seize Venezuelan oil.
US forces have carried out strikes against more than twenty ships that Washington claims were suspected of being used for drug trafficking in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific since the beginning of September, resulting in the killing of more than eighty people without presenting any official evidence that these ships were involved in trafficking or posed a direct threat to the United States.
Last week, US regulatory authorities warned major airlines of a “potentially dangerous situation” when flying over Venezuela due to the deteriorating security situation and increased military activity inside or around the country.
Venezuela responded by revoking operating rights of six major international airlines that had suspended their flights to the country following the US warning.
