Venezuelan authorities reported the approach of two US Navy ships to the country's capital: the destroyer USS Stockdale and the cruiser USS Gettysburg, which entered the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) less than 50 kilometers from the coast. Both vessels are equipped with Tomahawk missiles capable of striking land targets, raising concerns in Caracas amid Washington's growing military presence in the Caribbean.

According to flight monitoring services, including Flightradar, President Nicolás Maduro's plane departed Caracas heading north, presumably toward Cuba, a key ally of Venezuela. The plane's trajectory points toward Havana, where Maduro has previously held multiple consultations with Cuban leaders. There has been no official comment from the Venezuelan leader, but the incident coincided with the conclusion of 48-hour Venezuelan military exercises announced in response to the arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier group.

Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López previously called the US actions an "imperialist threat" and emphasized readiness for "civil-military mobilization." Analysts estimate the deployment of US forces to include up to 10 ships, including landing craft and a submarine, under the pretext of combating drug trafficking. However, experts such as Brendan Buck of the Cato Institute see this as "21st-century gunboat diplomacy" to pressure the Maduro regime, which is accused of ties to cartels.