Two US F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets were tracked flying near Maracaibo, Venezuela, circling the Gulf of Venezuela for about 40 minutes on Tuesday. US defence officials called it a "routine training flight". This comes amid US strikes in the Caribbean Sea targeting boats allegedly trafficking drugs from Venezuela to the US. More than 80 people have reportedly died in these strikes. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro accused the US of trying to destabilise his government. A day before the jets appeared, former US President Donald Trump said Maduro's "days in power were numbered" and did not rule out deploying US troops. An EA-18G Growler jet also flew loops near Venezuela's coast just before the Super Hornets arrived. Experts believe these flights aimed to gather intelligence and test Venezuelan defence systems, including signal jamming. The F/A-18s stayed within international airspace, around 20 nautical miles from the coast. The jets operated under callsigns RHINO11 and RHINO12, while the Growler used GRIZZLY2. Air experts say the Growlers listened for defence signals while Super Hornets provided air cover. The US has recently increased its military presence in the Caribbean, deploying troops, ships, and jets to combat drug smuggling. The USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier is active in the region, and satellite images show at least nine US military vessels deployed nearby. Additionally, the Roosevelt Roads airbase in Puerto Rico has been reactivated, now hosting advanced F-35 fighter jets after runway repairs. This build-up signals continued US focus on the Caribbean amid ongoing tensions with Venezuela.