U.S. military activity has increased in Puerto Rico as regional tensions rise between Washington and the Venezuelan regime, with aircraft and drone operations drawing attention across the Caribbean.

According to military sources, U.S. forces recently conducted training exercises at airports in Ponce and Aguadilla, reinforcing the island’s strategic role in U.S. Southern Command operations. The activity coincides with expanded enforcement actions targeting narcotrafficking routes and illicit oil shipments tied to Venezuela.

The 134th Fighter Squadron, known as the Green Mountain Boys from Burlington, Vermont, deployed approximately 12 F-35A stealth fighters to José Aponte de la Torre Airport in Ceiba on Saturday. This marks the first Air Force jet deployment under Operation Southern Spear, a Southern Command initiative focused on disrupting drug smuggling networks and interdicting narco-boats and sanctioned oil tankers operating in the Caribbean.

The arrival of Air Force F-35As adds heavier munitions and enhanced precision strike capabilities to ongoing operations, complementing Marine Corps F-35Bs already active in the region. Pentagon officials have emphasized that the mission is centered on counter-narcotics enforcement, maritime security, and regional stability, particularly as the U.S. increases pressure on Venezuelan oil flows linked to criminal and narco-terror networks.

While some lawmakers have raised questions about the scope of the deployment, defense officials maintain that the operation is narrowly focused on disrupting illegal trafficking and protecting U.S. and regional security interests. The visible military presence underscores Washington’s message that it is prepared to act decisively against criminal networks destabilizing the hemisphere.