Two US Air Force B-52H Stratofortress strategic bombers are currently within missile launch range of Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, escalating tensions in the region. This is according to aircraft trackers and independent observers recording the aircraft's movements with their transponders activated, indicating the mission is purely demonstrative.

The bombers are currently over the Caribbean Sea, heading south, according to FlightAware data. The activation of their transponders, typically turned off during covert operations, underscores the US intention to project force without stealth. This comes after President Donald Trump's recent announcement of military strikes on drug-trafficking vessels off the coast of Venezuela, where six people were killed.

Experts believe the B-52 flight is a warning to President Nicolás Maduro, who previously called the American presence in the region a "threat to sovereignty." In 2019, similar maneuvers over Colombia were accompanied by exercises with local air forces, which heightened tensions. While there has been no official comment from the Pentagon or the White House, media sources speculate that this is part of pressure on Caracas ahead of the talks.