π Share this article US Forces Targeted a 'Big Facility' in Venezuela, Trump Stated Without Offering Details. Ex-President Trump has asserted that American forces struck a "major plant" in Venezuela last week. But, the ex-leader offered no details on the precise nature or site of the strike, and there has been no additional comment from his administration. Unspecific Remarks Made During a Talk Interview "We just eliminated β I don't know if you read β they have a big plant, where the vessels come from. The other night, we knocked that out. So we hit them very hard," Trump reportedly said to GOP supporter and businessman John Catsimatidis on Friday. Possible Implications of a Verified Strike If a US military action were to be confirmed, it would constitute the initial ground target hit since the US Department of Defense initiated a expansion of American strike forces in the Caribbean region to interdict narco-trafficking operations that the Trump administration claims operate under the direction of Venezuelan leader NicolΓ‘s Maduro. The stated purpose of the force deployment has evolved into a quarantine aimed at hindering the nation's crude oil shipments. Online Footage and Administration Claims Trump has for some time indicated that US forces are ready to escalate the operations by striking objectives within Venezuela, a move that would theoretically require congressional approval. Video footage posted online on 24 December seemed to depict an blast allegedly from an industrial area in Zulia state. But, the footage or the site in question has not been corroborated. An official from Trump's team allegedly told a media outlet that the president was describing a drug facility in his remarks. Response and Ongoing Military Posture The Venezuelan government has not commented on the alleged strike the former president described. Additionally, there have been no verified accounts from within the country regarding it. The buildup of American forces in the region β a stance some have termed a sea blockade β constitutes the broadest naval operation of Trump's presidency. Administration officials have stopped short from calling the operation as a blockade, but have confirmed that around 15,000 personnel are stationed across the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf, including a aircraft carrier group, advanced fighter jets, and law enforcement vessels to enforce existing economic sanctions.