Two Venezuelan F-16 fighter jets conducted a flyover of the USS Jason Dunham on Thursday in what Pentagon officials described as a “highly provocative” show of force against U.S. counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean.
The incident occurred in international waters as the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer operated as part of a U.S. naval flotilla deployed to target drug cartels and narco-terrorism organizations, according to multiple Defense Department officials who spoke to CBS News.
The Pentagon also confirmed the encounter in a statement posted on X, saying two Venezuelan military aircraft “flew near a U.S. Navy vessel in international waters.”Â
— Department of Defense 🇺🇸 (@DeptofDefense) September 5, 2025
The flyover escalated tensions just two days after a U.S. military strike killed 11 people aboard a Venezuelan vessel that President Donald Trump said was carrying illegal narcotics while transiting the South Caribbean. The Trump administration has accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of running narco-trafficking operations in alliance with drug cartels.
🇺🇸 ON VIDEO: U.S. Military Forces conducted a strike against Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists. The strike occurred while the terrorists were at sea in International waters transporting illegal narcotics, heading to the U.S. The strike resulted in 11 terrorists killed in action. pic.twitter.com/iszHE0ttxQ
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 2, 2025
The USS Jason Dunham is among at least seven to eight U.S. warships currently deployed to the Caribbean, carrying more than 4,500 sailors and Marines in what represents a significant military buildup in the region. The naval force includes vessels specifically tasked with targeting criminal organizations and narco-terrorism.
The Venezuelan aircraft involved were F-16A/B jets, which Venezuela first received from the United States in the 1980s.
The Venezuelan military released footage showcasing its F-16 jets soaring over a U.S. destroyer. pic.twitter.com/fPJNMdKxNl
— Cartel Watch (@CartelWatchNet) September 5, 2025
The incident comes as the Trump administration intensifies military operations against what it characterizes as narco-terrorist organizations. The Venezuelan leader himself was indicted in a New York federal court in 2020 on narco-terrorism charges and conspiracy with the Colombian FARC insurgent group. The U.S. government has issued a $50 million reward for Maduro’s capture.
Adding to the military buildup, the Trump administration has ordered the deployment of 10 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to Puerto Rico to conduct operations against drug cartels, according to Reuters citing unnamed sources. The advanced stealth fighters are expected to arrive by late next week and would provide significant combat capability against Venezuela’s air force.
U.S. Marines and sailors from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit have also been conducting amphibious training and flight operations in southern Puerto Rico as part of the expanded Caribbean operations.
