Bombers, Marines, warships mass in Caribbean as US expands presence

The United States has significantly increased its military presence in the Caribbean under U.S. Southern Command, deploying bombers, warships, and Marines as part of an expanded campaign targeting drug trafficking and so-called “narco-terrorist” networks operating near Venezuela.

The Trump administration has deployed thousands of troops in the region, as well as seven attacks on boats believed to be carrying drugs.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth this month announced the creation of a new counternarcotics Joint Task Force operating near Southern Command, saying it was created “to crush the cartels, stop the poison, and keep America safe.” The task force will coordinate air, sea and special operations missions in the region; This marks the largest U.S. military effort in the Caribbean in decades.

U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bombers and Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II fighters recently conducted a bombing raid demonstration over the area; A show of force captured on Ministry of Defense footage. B-52s from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana patrolled near the Venezuelan coast for four hours Wednesday in a show of military force targeting Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.

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At least seven US Navy warships and one nuclear submarine are believed to be patrolling the area.

The USS Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group also operates in the Caribbean Sea. Ship spotters photographed the flagship USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) off the coast of Ponce, Puerto Rico, on Friday. The group includes USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD-28), USS San Antonio (LPD-17), and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit based at Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River, NC. The 22nd MEU consists of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced), Combat Logistics Battalion 26, and Battalion Landing Team 3/6.

Three U.S. Navy guided missile destroyers – USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109), USS Gravely (DDG-107), and USS Stockdale (DDG-106) – are currently deployed in the Caribbean, along with the guided missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG-70) and littoral combat ship USS Wichita (LCS-13). in case. It was operating near Cuba.

Open source reports indicate that a US nuclear-powered attack submarine has been deployed near Venezuela, although the exact number of nuclear ships and their exact locations have not been confirmed by the Pentagon.

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The United States has deployed ten F-35 fighter jets and at least three MQ-9 Reaper drones in Puerto Rico, making the island an important logistics and surveillance center for operations in the region. Reuters footage from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, shows drones being prepared for use.

Recent photos also show the reactivation of Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, a major US facility that was closed in 2004. Satellite imagery and field photographs reveal aircraft and personnel operating from the base, including at least one AC-130J Ghostrider gunship equipped with Hellfire missiles parked at José Aponte de la Torre Airport serving the installation.

Special operations aviation also increased. It was first spotted in early October when MH-6 “Little Bird” light attack helicopters and MH-60M Black Hawks used by U.S. Army Special Operations Forces were training off the coast of Trinidad and Tobago. Washington Post.

The Pentagon did not detail how long the buildup would last, but New York Times report It is estimated that approximately 10,000 US troops are currently operating in the region; this is the largest American presence in the region in decades.

U.S. defense officials linked the deployments to ongoing narcotics and counterterrorism missions linked to recent attacks on ships accused of smuggling drugs from Venezuela. These moves came as tensions rose following Colombia’s claim that one of the US strikes killed a fisherman, not a smuggler; The White House denied this accusation.

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Analysts say the combination of heavy bombers, stealth fighters, Marine Corps and Navy surface combatants underscores a shift from law enforcement interdiction to a broader show of force aimed at deterring state-linked human trafficking networks.

A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bomber assigned to the 2nd Bomb Wing is integrating with a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II aircraft assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 225 in the U.S. Southern Command area. (US Air Force)

“This is a stance we haven’t seen in the Caribbean since the early 2000s,” said a defense analyst familiar with U.S. operations in the region. “It is clear that this is intended to send a message not only to human traffickers but also to the governments accused of enabling them.”

Experts generally agree that the US build-up does not mean preparation for all-out war.

Mark Cancian, a senior defense advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Fox News Digital that such a campaign would require 50,000 to 100,000 U.S. troops; that number is much higher than the approximately 10,000 soldiers currently on duty.

“I think what they’ve put in place is the ability to attack the cartels or the Maduro regime,” Cancian said. he said. “If I had to bet it would probably be against the cartels, but I wouldn’t rule out something against the regime.”

This limited but flexible stance reflects what some experts describe as a modern form of coercive diplomacy.

A U.S. Marine Corps F-35 fighter jet flies past U.S. Marine Corps Ospreys and helicopters on the tarmac, parked at the former Roosevelt Roads military base in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, which has been closed for decades now. (Ricardo Arduengo/Reuters)

“It appears we are in the throes of a 21st century version of gunboat diplomacy,” said Brandan Buck, a foreign policy analyst at the Cato Institute. “The Trump administration is doing everything it can to force some kind of transition [of] “Without a classic invasion, power passed from Maduro’s hands to someone else.”

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Ryan Berg, director of the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the current deployment offers Washington offensive options without engaging in a major ground war.

“The current force posture in the Southern Caribbean is consistent with the potential for precision strikes using Tomahawk missiles or other weapons, but without risking the lives of U.S. service personnel,” Berg said.