WASHINGTON — The United States has surged a massive military force to the Caribbean, positioning thousands of troops, advanced warships, and fighter jets within striking distance of Venezuela. The deployment, which includes the world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, represents the most significant U.S. naval buildup in the region since the 1990s and has intensified fears of a potential military conflict.

The operation, officially named Operation Southern Spear, began in August and has rapidly expanded. U.S. officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, state the mission's goal is to combat drug trafficking by targeting "narco-terrorist" organizations they allege are linked to the Venezuelan government. However, the scale and combat nature of the deployment have led regional experts and officials to speculate that the true objective may be regime change in Caracas.

A Formidable Naval Armada

Satellite imagery and ship-tracking data analyzed by multiple news organizations confirm a formidable U.S. naval presence. The centerpiece is the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group. The nuclear-powered carrier, over 1,100 feet long, carries more than 75 aircraft and operates with a complement of roughly 5,000 sailors. It was recently tracked about 435 miles from the Venezuelan coast.

The naval force includes at least 11 other warships, such as guided-missile destroyers and cruisers equipped with hundreds of Tomahawk land-attack missiles. A key component is the USS Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, which transports the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit—some 2,200 Marines specialized in amphibious landings. Also in the region is the MV Ocean Trader, a special operations support vessel.

Air Power and Strategic Base Expansion

The air component of the buildup is equally substantial. The U.S. has deployed F-35 stealth fighter jets to Puerto Rico and flown B-52 long-range bombers on missions near Venezuelan airspace. Surveillance aircraft like the P-8 Poseidon and MQ-9 Reaper drones operate regularly over the Caribbean.

Critically, the Pentagon is re-establishing a strategic foothold by reopening and upgrading the Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Puerto Rico, which had been closed since 2004. Satellite imagery shows new construction, including refurbished taxiways for fighter jets, a mobile air traffic control tower, and tents to house personnel. Similar upgrades are underway at civilian airports in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, suggesting preparations for sustained operations.

Escalating Tensions and Conflicting Signals

The military movements occur alongside escalating rhetoric and actions. President Donald Trump has stated that land operations inside Venezuela could begin "very soon". In a major escalation on November 29, he declared on social media that the airspace above and around Venezuela should be considered "closed in its entirety," a move Venezuela forcefully rejected as a "colonial threat".

The administration has also designated the Cartel de los Soles—an alleged drug trafficking network it claims is led by Maduro and top officials—as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, a legal designation that expands potential military options. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly stated the president is taking "unprecedented action to stop the scourge of narcoterrorism".

However, Trump has sent mixed messages, telling reporters days after his airspace announcement not to "read anything into" it and stating "I doubt it" when asked if the U.S. was going to war. This has created uncertainty about the ultimate U.S. intention.

Venezuela's Response and Legal Scrutiny

The Venezuelan government has accused the U.S. of seeking to topple it and has initiated its own military preparations. President Nicolás Maduro announced a "massive mobilization" of troops and the Bolivarian militia in November. Social media footage analyzed by CNN shows Venezuelan forces reinforcing defenses on key routes to the capital, Caracas, and conducting live-fire drills.

The U.S. campaign has already involved kinetic action. Since early September, U.S. forces have conducted at least 21 strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in international waters, killing more than 80 people. Recent reports that a follow-up strike was ordered on a damaged vessel with survivors on board have sparked a bipartisan congressional review and accusations from former military lawyers that such an order could constitute a war crime. The White House has defended the strikes as lawful acts of self-defense.

A Long-Term Presence?

Internal Pentagon documents suggest the significant U.S. military footprint may not be temporary. Procurement records reviewed by The Intercept show the Defense Logistics Agency securing contracts to supply fresh food to troops in the Puerto Rico zone through November 2028. The documents list specific ships involved in the current buildup as recipients, indicating a plan to maintain a rotated, high-level presence.

Analyst Mark Cancian of the Center for Strategic and International Studies told The Intercept the food orders imply operations "continuing at the current level for several years". Whether this sustained presence is meant to pressure the Maduro regime into collapse, prepare for a direct intervention, or permanently elevate counter-drug operations remains the critical, unanswered question at the heart of the unprecedented buildup.