President Donald Trump announced that the US targeted a facility in Venezuela, marking a significant step in its efforts against alleged drug trafficking there.

During a press conference on Monday, Trump stated, “There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs,” confirming what he hinted at the previous week.

This attack on Venezuelan soil would be the first time the US has publicly acknowledged a ground strike in the country. The US administration has increased pressure on Nicolas Maduro's government by bombing boats in the area and imposing a blockade to hinder the nation’s oil exports.

The Venezuelan government did not respond to inquiries about Trump’s statements on Monday, which is unusual given their typically strong responses to US actions in the Caribbean over the past few months.

Trump mentioned that he had recently spoken with Maduro but described the conversation as unproductive. “Nothing much comes of it,” he said about their phone calls.

In a radio interview on Friday, Trump revealed that the US struck a target on December 24. “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,” he shared.

For weeks, Trump has warned of his readiness to escalate military action by targeting land-based sites.