'There was a major explosion' - Trump says US hit area where boats 'loaded' drugs in Venezuela

""There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs," Mr Trump said."

""We hit all the boats, and now we hit the area... it's the implementation area. That's where they implement, and that is no longer around.""

""I don't want to say that. I know exactly who it was but I don't want to say who.""

""We just knocked out, I don't know if you read or you saw, they have a big plant or a big facility...where the ships come from," "Two nights ago we knocked that out, so we hit them very hard.""

A major explosion struck a dock area used to load boats with drugs, and multiple drug boats were reportedly hit. The blast reportedly destroyed an 'implementation area' where shipments are processed. The specific target and the responsible US government entity remain unclear, with knowledge of the actor reportedly withheld. Authorisation has been granted for the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela. The Pentagon referred questions to the White House, which did not immediately respond. Since September, roughly two dozen strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean have killed at least 87 people, accompanied by a large US naval build-up and orders to seize oil tankers and impose a blockade.

Read at Irish Independent