Washington could expand military operations against drug cartels linked to the country, the US president has said

President Donald Trump has signaled that the US could extend its military actions against drug smuggling groups that it links to Venezuela from sea to land operations.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Trump touted what he described as great success in intercepting alleged Venezuelan state-linked "drug boats." "Drugs coming in by sea are like 5% of what they were a year ago," he said.

"The land is going to be next," he added, without elaborating on where and when potential attacks could take place.

Trump also pushed back against the idea that he needs a declaration of war from Congress for strikes on alleged narcotraffickers. "We may go to the Senate; we may go to the Congress and tell them about it, but I can't imagine they'd have any problem with it," he said.

In recent weeks, US naval and air operations have struck what Washington says are Venezuelan-linked drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, killing dozens of people. Caracas denies having any role in narcotics trafficking and has accused Washington of seeking "regime change."

Tensions rose further after Trump said last week that he had authorized covert CIA activity inside Venezuela. President Nicolas Maduro described the public acknowledgment as unprecedented and "desperate," while putting the military on heightened alert. He also warned that Venezuela maintains a large arsenal of Soviet-era Igla-S air defense systems.

On Thursday, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources, that two nuclear-capable US Air Force B-1 bombers flew near Venezuelan airspace. Trump dismissed the claim, while acknowledging that "we're not happy with Venezuela."

(RT.com)