🔗 Share this article US Forces Targeted a 'Large Plant' in Venezuela, Trump Asserted Lacking Providing Specifics. Ex-President Trump has stated that US forces hit a "significant plant" in Venezuela last week. But, the former president did not specify the exact purpose or location of the target, and officials have issued no additional clarification from his team. Unspecific Remarks Offered In a Radio Interview "We just destroyed – I'm not sure if you read – they have a big plant, where the vessels come from. Two nights ago, we knocked that out. So we hit them very hard," Trump reportedly told Republican donor and supermarket owner John Catsimatidis in a recent interview. Potential Significance of a Confirmed Strike If a American strike were to be confirmed, it would represent the initial ground target hit since the Pentagon initiated a increase of US military presence in the region to disrupt narco-trafficking operations that the former administration asserts operate under the direction of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. This initial mission of the force deployment has since morphed into a blockade aimed at hindering the nation's crude oil shipments. Online Video and Administration Statements Trump has for weeks warned that US forces are ready to expand the military campaign by striking objectives inside Venezuela, a strategy that would in theory require congressional approval. Online video posted on social media on 24 December appeared to show an blast said to be from an industrial zone in a Venezuelan state. Yet, the footage or the site in question has not been corroborated. An administration official reportedly told a media outlet that the president was describing a narco-trafficking site in his remarks. Reaction and Ongoing Military Posture The Venezuelan government has not commented on the alleged strike Trump referenced. Furthermore, there have been no verified accounts from within the country regarding it. The presence of American forces in the area – a position certain officials have termed a sea blockade – constitutes the most expansive naval operation of Trump's presidency. Sources have avoided from describing the action as a full blockade, but have confirmed that around 15,000 troops are positioned across the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf, including a aircraft carrier group, F-35 aircraft, and Coast Guard cutters to uphold current sanctions.