Speaking on state television, he described the flyover as “a threat to national security” and warned that Venezuela would mobilise its forces if attacked.

The incident comes amid a significant U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean. In September, Washington deployed 10 F-35 fighter jets, eight warships, and a nuclear submarine to Puerto Rico under what it says is an operation to disrupt narcotics trafficking.

U.S. forces have since sunk several boats allegedly linked to drug smugglers, leaving at least 14 people dead, according to official reports.

President Nicolás Maduro has denounced the U.S. operations as a cover for regime change and an attempt to control Venezuela’s vast oil reserves. In response, Caracas has staged military drills involving warships, helicopters, and 2,500 troops, and Maduro has said he is preparing a decree to declare a “state of external unrest.”

The confrontation underscores escalating tensions in the wider Caribbean, where Washington’s efforts to counter drug trafficking intersect with Maduro’s campaign to rally domestic support against what he portrays as U.S. aggression.