Unverified video shows Venezuelan F-16s in the sky after US B-52 Bombers fly near the coast, raising tensions in the Caribbean

Unverified footage circulating on social media late appeared to show Venezuelan F-16 fighter jets in the sky, hours after two US B-52 bombers were tracked flying over the Caribbean Sea near the country’s coastline.

The American bombers’ flight, the fourth such show of force in recent weeks, heightened tensions between Washington and Caracas, already strained by a US-led military campaign in the region ostensibly aimed at curbing drug trafficking.

According to flight tracking data from Flightradar24, the two B-52s flew parallel to Venezuela’s northern coast, circled northeast of Caracas, and then veered back out to sea.

America’s Fourth operation near Venezuelan airspace since October

Thursday’s mission marked at least the fourth time since mid-October that US bombers have approached Venezuelan territory. Earlier operations included one similar B-52 flight and two by B-1B bombers, signaling a sustained American military presence close to the South American nation.

The Pentagon has not commented on the sortie, but US officials have maintained that the Caribbean operations are part of a broader effort to dismantle international drug networks.

US military buildup raises alarm in Latin America

The flyover comes as Washington expands its regional footprint. The USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group has been deployed to Latin American waters, while F-35 stealth jets are stationed in Puerto Rico. Six US Navy ships currently patrol the Caribbean under what US authorities describe as “counter-narcotics efforts.”

Since early September, according to the Guardian website, American forces have reportedly destroyed 17 alleged drug-smuggling vessels, including a semi-submersible, resulting in the deaths of at least 67 people. However, US officials have yet to release evidence proving those vessels were linked to drug trafficking.

Venezuela’s government has repeatedly accused Washington of using anti-narcotics operations as a cover for attempts to destabilize President Nicolás Maduro’s administration. Officials in Caracas claim the flights and naval movements are “provocative acts” designed to test Venezuelan air defenses and political resolve.

In response, the Venezuelan Air Force reportedly put its F-16 fleet on alert, aircraft originally designed and produced in the United States before the two nations severed defense ties nearly two decades ago.