Two US fighter jets circle Gulf of Venezuela in escalation of hostilities

Thursday, December 11, 2025 -In a significant escalation of tensions between Washington and Caracas, two U.S. Navy F/A-18 fighter jets circled over the Gulf of Venezuela on Tuesday, entering Venezuelan airspace for roughly 30–40 minutes before departing north. 

Public flight-tracking data showed the aircraft flying near the northern tip of Lake Maracaibo, a region crucial to Venezuela’s oil infrastructure, drawing international attention as thousands monitored the flights in real time. 

Venezuelan authorities condemned the maneuver as provocative, highlighting that the Gulf is considered part of their territorial waters, while U.S. officials maintained the operation was conducted under international law and termed it a “routine” mission.

The incident comes amid a broader buildup of U.S. military presence in the Caribbean, where thousands of American troops, an aircraft carrier strike group, and various combat aircraft have been deployed under the banner of counter-narcotics operations. 

Critics argue that these operations, including recent military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels, may mask deeper geopolitical aims and risk drawing the two nations closer to open confrontation. Caracas has declared a state of emergency, activated militias, and denounced U.S. actions as aggressive acts designed to destabilize the Venezuelan government.

For the United States, the Pentagon insists these flights are lawful and aimed at protecting regional stability, safeguarding trade routes, and monitoring illicit activities, even as diplomatic channels remain strained. 

Analysts warn that continued overflights so close to Venezuelan airspace could further inflame hostilities and complicate efforts to manage tensions through negotiation, especially as global energy markets and regional security dynamics watch the situation closely.