The move Tuesday appears to be the closest American warplanes have come to the South American country’s airspace since the start of the Trump administration’s pressure campaign in the region.
Public flight tracking websites showed a pair of U.S. Navy F/A-18 fighter jets fly over the body of water bounded by Venezuela for more than 30 minutes.
A U.S. defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations, confirmed that the jets conducted a “routine training flight” and said they stayed in international airspace. The official likened it to previous exercises aimed at showing the reach of U.S. planes.
The move is the latest action that the U.S. military has taken as it has built up warships in the region and launched deadly strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats. Those attacks are drawing new scrutiny from lawmakers.
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