US Strikes and Venezuela's Missile Deployments Escalate

The U.S. Air Force recently flew two B-1 bombers off Venezuela’s coast amid a series of U.S. maritime strikes on suspected Venezuelan drug‑smuggling vessels that U.S. officials say have killed more than 30 suspected traffickers; President Trump publicly denied the strikes while a U.S. official confirmed the bomber sortie. The Pentagon has massed forces in the Caribbean — including thousands of troops, warships, B-52s, F-35s, Marine units and reported Special Operations and CIA authorities — and Trump said he was considering additional covert and limited land operations against trafficker camps. In response, President Nicolás Maduro announced Venezuela had deployed roughly 5,000 Igla‑S shoulder‑fired missiles nationwide, along with anti‑drone tools and training, as part of a layered air‑defense posture Caracas says also includes S‑300VM, Buk‑M2E and upgraded Pechora systems. Analysts say Igla‑S MANPADS and other man‑portable systems raise the cost of low‑level aviation incursions but do not threaten high‑altitude aircraft, and that the effectiveness of Venezuela’s layered defenses depends on training, maintenance and logistics. The exchanges have escalated signaling and mutual deterrence between Washington and Caracas and raised legal and political questions about the U.S. maritime strikes and broader U.S. strategy toward Venezuela.