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US fighter jets spotted near Venezuelan coast
Two F/A-18 Super Hornets were tracked flying loops over the Gulf of Venezuela on Tuesday, marking the latest in a series of US military movements near the country's airspace. The jets appeared on flight-tracking platforms around 13:00 local time (17:00 GMT) and remained in the area for approximately 40 minutes.
Routine training or strategic signaling?
A US defense official described the flight as a "routine training exercise," but analysts suggest the maneuver may carry broader implications. The jets, operating under callsigns RHINO11 and RHINO12, approached within 20 nautical miles of Venezuela's coastline while remaining in international airspace, according to tracking data.
An EA-18G Growler electronic warfare jet, flying under the codename GRIZZLY2, was also detected nearby. Justin Crump, head of risk consultancy Sibylline, told reporters the flights appeared designed to "support the administration's signaling and apply pressure on Venezuelan leadership."
Intelligence gathering and military posturing
Former RAF Air Marshal Greg Bagwell, now president of the Air and Space Power Association, said the flights likely served multiple purposes. The Growler jet would have monitored Venezuelan defense systems for encrypted signals and active missile sites, while the Super Hornets provided air cover.
"It could be interpreted as early intelligence gathering for potential future operations-or simply a warning of what might come."
Greg Bagwell, former RAF Air Marshal
Crump added that the jets may have also tested electronic jamming capabilities, potentially undermining Venezuela's confidence in its own defense systems.
Escalating US military presence in the Caribbean
The incident follows a surge in US military activity in the region, including airstrikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels. The White House has linked these operations to Venezuela, though legal experts have questioned their justification after more than 80 deaths.
Satellite imagery and ship-tracking data analyzed by BBC Verify reveal at least nine US military vessels deployed to the Caribbean in recent weeks. The USS Gerald Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, has been positioned in the area, with F/A-18s operating from its deck.
Additionally, Roosevelt Roads airbase in Puerto Rico-a facility shuttered in 2004-has been reactivated. Repairs to its runway have been completed, and F-35 stealth fighters, the US military's most advanced jets, have been stationed there.
Political rhetoric fuels tensions
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has accused the US of using military operations to destabilize his government. In a recent interview with Politico, former US President Donald Trump declared Maduro's tenure "numbered" but declined to confirm whether US troops might be deployed to Venezuela.
The flights come amid a broader pattern of US military activity near Venezuela, including B-52 and B-1 bomber sorties along the country's coastline since September.
