Venezuela warns of ‘false-flag attack’, accuses CIA of ‘military provocation’ as US carrier nears Trinidad and Tobago

Venezuela denounced what it described as a “military provocation” by neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago, allegedly coordinated with the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), intended to provoke a full-scale military confrontation with the country. It also warned of “false-flag attack”.

Venezuela stated that joint military exercises are taking place in the Caribbean between the US and Trinidad and Tobago, and claimed it had apprehended a group of mercenaries who possessed “direct information from the American intelligence agency”.

Venezuela condemned “the military provocation of Trinidad and Tobago, in coordination with the CIA, aimed at provoking a war in the Caribbean”, according to AFP.

A false-flag attack refers to an operation designed to make it look like as though another party is responsible.

Vice President Delcy Rodriguez issued a statement making such accusations but did not provide additional details or evidence.

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump confirmed that he had authorised the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has previously accused others of false-flag operations, including an alleged plot in early October to plant explosives at the US embassy in Caracas.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has previously accused others of carrying out false-flag attacks, including an alleged plot in early October to plant explosives at the US embassy in Caracas.

Neither the US State Department nor the CIA were immediately available to comment, as per Reuters.

US' strikes on alleged drug boats

Trump has authorised several strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, which his administration says were involved in drug trafficking. On Friday, the Pentagon intensified its military presence in the Caribbean by deploying the Gerald Ford aircraft carrier group.

The US military conducted its ninth strike on Wednesday against an alleged drug-smuggling boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean, which claimed three lives, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a report by AFP said.

The strike followed another attack on Tuesday night in the same area that left two people dead, Hegseth said on social media earlier that day. Unlike the earlier seven US strikes, which hit vessels in the Caribbean Sea, these latest attacks occurred in the eastern Pacific.

Hegseth posted a short video on Wednesday showing a small boat carrying several brown packages travelling on the water. After a few seconds, the boat explodes and is left floating motionless, engulfed in flames.

The second video captures another boat speeding along before it is hit by an explosion. Footage recorded afterwards shows packages floating in the water.

(With inputs from agencies)