Five US F-35 fighter jets landed at the former Roosevelt Roads base in Puerto Rico, part of a military buildup ordered by President Donald Trump to support counter-drug operations in the Caribbean. The arrival follows visits by top Pentagon officials and comes alongside helicopters, Osprey aircraft, and transport planes, Reuters reported.

The move coincides with heightened friction with Venezuela. Washington recently sank a Venezuelan-flagged vessel it said was carrying narcotics, killing 11 people—a claim Caracas disputes. Venezuela also accused a US destroyer of illegally boarding a fishing boat.

While the Pentagon has not announced any shift in force posture, analysts see the F-35 deployment as both a counter-narcotics measure and a clear show of US resolve in the region, according to Reuters.