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Former President Donald Trump has asserted that American forces hit a "major installation" in Venezuela recently. However, the ex-leader offered no details on the exact nature or site of the strike, and there has been no additional comment from his administration.

Unspecific Comments Offered In a Talk Show

"US forces just destroyed – I don't know if you heard – they have a large facility, where the ships originate. Two nights ago, we destroyed it. So we struck them very hard," Trump reportedly said to Republican donor and businessman John Catsimatidis on Friday.

Possible Significance of a Verified Attack

Should a US military action were to be verified, it would represent the initial attack on Venezuelan soil since the Pentagon initiated a expansion of US military presence in the region to interdict narco-trafficking operations that the Trump administration claims operate under the orders of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

This initial objective of the force deployment has evolved into a blockade aimed at stopping the nation's crude oil shipments.

Online Video and Official Statements

Trump has for some time warned that US forces are ready to escalate the operations by hitting objectives within Venezuela, a move that would theoretically require legislative approval.

Video footage shared on social media on 24 December purportedly showed an blast allegedly from an industrial zone in a Venezuelan state. Yet, the footage or the site in question has not been confirmed by third parties.

An official from Trump's team reportedly informed a media outlet that the president was referring to a drug facility in his comments.

Response and Current Military Situation

The Maduro government has issued no statement on the incident the former president referenced. Additionally, there have been no independent reports from within the country regarding it.

The buildup of US military in the region – a position certain officials have called a naval quarantine – constitutes the broadest maritime enforcement action of Trump's presidency.

Sources have stopped short from labeling the operation as a blockade, but have acknowledged that approximately 15,000 troops are positioned across the Caribbean and the Gulf, including a carrier strike group, advanced fighter jets, and law enforcement vessels to enforce current sanctions.