U.S. Southernโ Command Displays Caribbeanโข Operations Amidst Venezuela โConcerns
MIAMI – The U.S.โฃ Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) released images Friday โคshowcasing recent โmilitary activities in theโค Caribbean โSea, highlighting increased U.S. presence in the region. Theโ photographs depict maneuvers involvingโข vessels designed for discreet operation โคin international waters,accompanied by a โขSOUTHCOMโฃ statement: “U.S. Marines from the Marine expeditionary Unit conduct low-visibility vessel operations in the Caribbean Sea. U.S. military forces are deployed โฃto the Caribbean to support the Southern Command mission, operations led by the U.S. War Department, and President Trump’s priorities.”
The releasedโค materials also include โขimagesโค andโฃ videos of fighter jets equipped with missiles participating in exercises involving liveโข fire and precision drills. These deployments signal a โคdemonstrationโค of U.S. military power โคand a focusโ onโ the Caribbean as an area of strategic interest.โ The operations are part ofโฃ a broader training โคprogram encompassing combat simulations and artillery practice.
The increased โU.S. activity occurs against a backdrop of rising diplomatic โคtensions with Venezuela. Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lรณpez stated that Venezuelan air โขsurveillance systems recently detected aircraft approximately 75 kilometersโ from the national territory. โ”The Venezuelan Integrated โคAir System has detected these planes. the fact was verified โand verified,” Padrino Lรณpez said,describing โthe incident as an โข”alleged harassment” by U.S. forces.
The timing of SOUTHCOM’s image release โcoincides โขwith growing international concern regarding the escalating tensions โbetween the U.S. andโ Venezuela, as noted by the United Nations.SOUTHCOM’s โฃoperations are officially linked to counter-narcotics efforts in the โcaribbean,a long-standing focus of the command’s โmission.