U.S. Fighter Jets Conduct Closest Fly-By Yet Near…

U.S. Fighter Jets Conduct Closest Fly-By Yet Near Venezuelan Coast

An F/A-18F Super Hornet. Two of the jets came within roughly 20 nautical miles from Venezuela’s coast on Tuesday (Credit: Creative Commons)

The U.S. military flew two Navy F/A-18 fighter jets over the Gulf of Venezuela on Tuesday, marking what appears to be the closest approach to Venezuelan territory since the Trump administration launched its regional pressure campaign against the Nicolás Maduro regime.

Public flight-tracking platforms, including Flightradar24, showed the aircraft circling within the Gulf — a narrow body of water bordered on three sides by Venezuela — for more than 30 minutes.

Venezuelan media noted the jets flew near coastal areas of Zulia and Falcón states, close to key military installations such as the Rafael Urdaneta naval base in Maracaibo and regional air-defense infrastructure on the Paraguaná peninsula, before turning back north.

Topping our most track flights list right now: a pair of US Navy F/A-18s over the Gulf of Venezuela. https://t.co/pCIB1qQdSg pic.twitter.com/8Nt548B0mB
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) December 9, 2025

A U.S. defense official confirmed the flight to The Associated Press, describing it as "a routine training operation" conducted in international airspace. The official said the mission was consistent with previous exercises intended to demonstrate the reach of U.S. aircraft but did not indicate whether the jets were armed.

While the U.S. has flown strategic bombers — including B-52s and B-1s — "up to and along the coast of Venezuela" in the past, the AP noted there was no indication those aircraft had operated as close to the Gulf interior as the F/A-18s did on Tuesday.

The fly-by comes as Washington continues its largest military buildup in the Caribbean in decades. The United States has carried out 22 acknowledged strikes on alleged drug-smuggling vessels since early September, killing at least 87 people, according to congressional inquiries. A follow-up strike that killed survivors from the first hit has prompted lawmakers to demand unedited video of the operations.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told congressional leaders Tuesday he is weighing whether to release the footage, according to a briefing confirmed by administration officials. President Donald Trump has said further operations on land are being prepared but has not disclosed where or when they would occur.

The flight drew intense public attention: Flightradar24 reported the jets were the most-tracked aircraft on its platform at the time.

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