US deploys 10 F-35A Lightning II jets to Puerto Rico to fight drug cartels

US has ordered the deployment of ten modern F-35A Lightning II fighter jets to an airbase in Puerto Rico. The goal is to conduct operations against drug cartels active in the southern Caribbean. According to two sources familiar with the matter, the aircraft are expected to arrive in the region by the end of next week. G.business reports, citing Reuters.

Military escalation in the Caribbean

The announcement comes just three days after a US military operation against a boat that, according to President Donald Trump, was carrying a “huge amount of drugs” from Venezuela. During that raid, in which special forces were involved, eleven people were killed.

In recent weeks, the US has significantly reinforced its presence in the Caribbean. Seven warships, including Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and amphibious assault ships, as well as a nuclear-powered high-speed submarine, have been deployed. Some of these vessels are already in the region, while others are expected to arrive shortly.

Exercises and presence in Puerto Rico

In Puerto Rico itself, US Marines and sailors from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit are conducting amphibious landing drills and flight operations. According to the Pentagon, these exercises are designed to ensure rapid readiness for larger-scale missions against maritime drug trafficking routes.

Puerto Rico plays a strategic role because of its location along key shipping lanes used by cartels to smuggle cocaine and other drugs from South America to North America.

Political pressure on Venezuela

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth recently called Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro the “de facto leader of a narco-state.” Analysts see the deployment of F-35s as part of Washington’s broader strategy to increase pressure on Caracas through both political and military means.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at a press conference in Mexico: “The seizure of drug shipments in recent years has not stopped the cartels. Only their destruction will stop them — total destruction.”

The role of the F-35A Lightning II

The F-35A Lightning II is the conventional take-off and landing variant of the Joint Strike Fighter family. Equipped with stealth technology, advanced sensors, and precision strike capabilities, it can carry out both reconnaissance and combat missions. The jets are compatible with AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles and JDAM precision bombs, making them effective in both aerial and ground operations.

Military experts stress that the stationing of F-35As is not just a tactical reinforcement but also a political message: the US is ready to use its most advanced technology in the war on drugs while simultaneously sending a signal to Venezuela and other regional actors.

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