US moves troops and additional special- operations aircraft into Caribbean
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The U.S. moved a large number of special-operations aircraft and multiple cargo planes filled with troops and equipment into the Caribbean area this week, giving the U.S.
additional options for possible military action in the region, according to U.S. officials and open source flight-tracking data. President Trump has ramped up pressure on Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro in recent days, ordering a blockade of oil tankers going in and out of the country.
Trump has declared that the airspace around Venezuela should be considered closed and has refused to rule out airstrikes on the country. “We have a massive armada formed, the biggest we’ve ever had, and by far the biggest we’ve ever had in South America," he said Monday. Referring to the possibility of land strikes in Venezuela, he said: “Soon we will be starting the same program on land." The White House and the Department of Defense didn’t return requests for comment.
At least 10 CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, which are used by special-operations forces, flew into the region Monday night from Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico, according to an official. C-17 cargo aircraft from Fort Stewart and Fort Campbell Army bases arrived Monday in Puerto Rico, according to flight tracking data. A different U.S.
official confirmed that military personnel and equipment were transported on planes. It isn’t clear what types of troops and equipment the aircraft were transporting. Cannon is home to the 27th Special Operations Wing, while the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, an elite U.S.
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