Venezuela denounced the fresh US strike for killing four people on a boat off the coast, calling the attack part of an illegal, judgmental killing and a pattern of forced force by Washington.
Critics point out that the action follows other strikes that US officials say have killed dozens of people in recent weeks.
President Nicolas Maduro framed the accumulation as a bid to seize Venezuela’s vast oil, gas and gold reserves, and accused the US of producing narratives of drug trafficking to justify intervention.
Analysts argue that a concentration of seafarers, F-35s, Marines and submarines based nearby Puerto Rico can support seizure-style operations as well as anti-drug patrols.
Venezuelan authorities said radar tracked five US F-35s about 75 kilometres from the coast, indicating that Puerto Rico’s F-35B is armed with air-to-air missiles.
Also, a senior US aide led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggests he has pushed for a more aggressive option to remove Maduro. This is a development that enhances Caracas warnings.
Diplomats and rights groups are calling for transparent investigation and restraint, warning that continued strikes and military pressure risks will swirl into wider conflicts that harm Venezuelan civilians.