Date: October 24, 2025 Tensions between the United States and Venezuela have escalated sharply over the past week, raising concerns among regional observers and maritime operators about a potential U.S. ground operation targeting Venezuelan drug cartels. Based on recent reports and official statements, the likelihood of targeted land strikes has shifted from speculative to significant. 1. U.S. Statements and Transition to Land Strikes On October 23, 2025, former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly declared that the United States plans to move from naval and aerial strikes to ground operations against drug traffickers in Venezuela. In a statement, he emphasized: “The land will be next… you will see it soon.” “The goal is to kill the people bringing drugs into our country, without the need for a formal declaration of war.” This marks a strategic shift. Since September 1, U.S. forces have conducted at least nine lethal strikes on suspicious vessels, including one in the Eastern ...