US airstrikes against alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific have continued unabated since early September - a deadly campaign now dubbed Operation Southern Spear.
Tens of thousands of troops and substantial air and naval assets have been deployed to the region, collectively forming the largest US military presence in and around Latin America in decades.
On Sunday the US military confirmed the world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R Ford, had arrived in the Caribbean.
The Trump administration argues the strikes are necessary to stem the flow of drugs to the US. However, they have sparked fears of a wider conflict in the region.
Why is the US conducting strikes?
President Trump and members of his administration have justified the strikes as a necessary counter-drug measure to stem the flow of narcotics from Latin America to US streets.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the campaign - which on 13 November was officially named Operation Southern Spear - is aimed at removing narco-terrorists from our hemisphere and securing the US from the drugs that are killing our people.
However, little information about the targets or what drug trafficking organizations they allegedly belonged to has been officially released by the Pentagon. In at least a few cases, officials have claimed that the targets were tied to Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang labeled a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration earlier this year.
It remains unclear how much impact US officials believe the strikes are having on the larger flow of drugs, a significant portion of which cross the land border between Mexico and the US.
Where are US military units?
The US has deployed substantial strike power in the Caribbean and western Atlantic, within striking distance of Venezuela. BBC Verify has identified 15 warships in the region based on ship-tracking data and US announcements.
This includes the USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier, described as the most capable, adaptable, and lethal combat platform in the world.
Additionally, US combat aircraft have been deployed to bases in Puerto Rico, and US long-range bombers have flown within striking distance of Venezuela's coastline.
Trump has also acknowledged that he authorized the CIA to conduct covert actions in Venezuela, although the scope of this remains classified.
How many strikes have there been?
Between 2 September and 16 November, US forces conducted at least 22 strikes on vessels in international waters of the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, with the majority occurring near the coasts of Venezuela and Colombia.
US Southern Command reported that its latest strike had killed three male narco-terrorists involved in illicit narcotics smuggling. Collectively, at least 83 people have been killed, although many of these have been reported as low-level traffickers driven by poverty.
Are these boat strikes legal?
The Trump administration has insisted that the strikes are legal, framing them as necessary self-defense measures aimed at saving American lives. However, legal experts have raised concerns that these strikes could violate international law and risk being classified as crimes against humanity.
How has Maduro responded?
The Maduro government has accused the US of stoking regional tensions, responding with military exercises and a nationwide troop mobilization. Maduro has called for peace and cautioned against US intervention in Venezuela.
