U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited sailors aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier in the Latin American region on Thursday, amid a military buildup by President Donald Trump’s administration that has heightened tensions with Venezuela.
In a video released by the Pentagon, Hegseth is seen addressing the crew, wishing them a happy Thanksgiving and offering prayers for the two National Guard soldiers who were shot in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.
Since September, U.S. forces have carried out at least 21 strikes against suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean and off the Pacific coast of Latin America, resulting in at least 83 fatalities.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has repeatedly claimed that the U.S. military buildup is aimed at removing him from power.
The visit comes as President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the U.S. will "very soon" start taking action to stop suspected Venezuelan drug traffickers on land.
"You probably noticed that people aren't wanting to be delivering by sea, and we'll be starting to stop them by land also. The land is easier, but that's going to start very soon," Trump said, speaking virtually with U.S. military service members.
The Venezuelan communications ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Trump administration has been weighing Venezuela-related options to combat what it has portrayed as President Nicolas Maduro's role in supplying illegal drugs that have killed Americans. Maduro has denied having any links to the illegal drug trade.
U.S. forces in the region so far have focused on counter-narcotics operations, even though the assembled firepower far outweighs anything needed for them.
U.S. troops have carried out at least 21 strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific since September, killing at least 83 people.
Reports of looming action have proliferated in recent weeks as the U.S. military has deployed forces to the Caribbean amid worsening relations with Venezuela.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he will stop defence contractors from paying dividends or buying back shares until weapons production speeds up, crit...
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he will meet Danish leaders next week, signalling that Washington is not retreating from President Donald Tru...
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to China later this month, marking the first visit by a Canadian leader since 2017....
Heavy rainfall has caused flooding in Krumovgrad, in Bulgaria’s southern Kardzhali province, pushing the Krumovitsa River close to overflowing and p...
Hungary’s foreign minister on Wednesday criticised European plans to establish military hubs in Ukraine, saying the move risks pushing Europe closer...
U.S. President Donald Trump said he will stop defence contractors from paying dividends or buying back shares until weapons production speeds up, criticising the industry for delays and high costs.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he will meet Danish leaders next week, signalling that Washington is not retreating from President Donald Trump’s stated goal of acquiring Greenland, despite mounting concern among European allies.
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to China later this month, marking the first visit by a Canadian leader since 2017.
Heavy rainfall has caused flooding in Krumovgrad, in Bulgaria’s southern Kardzhali province, pushing the Krumovitsa River close to overflowing and prompting authorities to declare a state of emergency in 26 settlements.
Germany’s foreign intelligence service secretly monitored the telephone communications of former U.S. President Barack Obama for several years, including calls made aboard Air Force One, according to an investigation by the German newspaper Die Zeit.
Diplomatic tensions between Tokyo and Beijing escalated as Japan slams China's export ban on dual-use goods. Markets have wobbled as fears grow over a potential rare earth embargo affecting global supply chains.
Open-source intelligence (OSINT) sources reported a significant movement of U.S. military aircraft towards the Middle East in recent hours. Dozens of U.S. Air Force aerial refuelling tankers and heavy transport aircraft were observed heading eastwards, presumably to staging points in the region.
Iran’s chief justice has warned protesters there will be “no leniency for those who help the enemy against the Islamic Republic”, as rights groups reported a rising death toll during what observers describe as the country’s biggest wave of unrest in three years.
Two people have been killed after a private helicopter crashed at a recreation centre in Russia’s Perm region, Russian authorities and local media have said.
Power has been fully restored to a neighbourhood in Berlin after an arson attack triggered a blackout that lasted more than four days — the second such incident in the city since September.
A U.S. immigration agent shot and killed a 37-year-old woman in her car in Minneapolis on Wednesday, local and federal officials said, amid an expanded immigration enforcement operation ordered by President Donald Trump.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he will stop defence contractors from paying dividends or buying back shares until weapons production speeds up, criticising the industry for delays and high costs.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he will meet Danish leaders next week, signalling that Washington is not retreating from President Donald Trump’s stated goal of acquiring Greenland, despite mounting concern among European allies.
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to China later this month, marking the first visit by a Canadian leader since 2017.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment