This might be a sign the U.S. ongoing tensions with Venezuela isn’t going away any time soon. A new report has revealed U.S. troops stationed in the Caribbean will not be going home for Christmas due to the ongoing tensions with Venezuela. The report comes as the Pentagon has launched dozens of attacks against Venezuela drug boats in the region. Yahoo News reported more on the new development: US troops in the Caribbean have reportedly been told they may not be able to go home for Thanksgiving and Christmas as the White House ramps up its pressure campaign against Venezuela. Southcom, the US combat command responsible for South and Central America, is restricting leave over the festive period in preparation for land strikes in the region, according to CNN. The news came as Gen Dan Caine, America’s most senior military officer, was dispatched to the Caribbean on Monday. He is set to visit one of several navy warships sent to the region. Gen Caine is one of the architects of Operation Southern Spear, the largest build-up of American military force in the region since the Cuban Missile Crisis, designed to stop the flow of drugs, including fentanyl, into the US. The USS Gerald R Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, arrived in the Caribbean last week along with its strike group, meaning the US has amassed more than a dozen warships, a nuclear submarine and 15,000 troops in the region. The stated reason for Gen Caine’s trip is to thank troops for their service ahead of Thanksgiving on Thursday. However, he is also expected to consult with commanders about the armada’s preparations, sources told The New York Times. The Trump administration has reportedly been briefed by military officials on a range of options, including strikes on military or government facilities and special operations raids, CNN reported. Government officials said that covert operations would likely be the first course of action against the country’s president, Nicolas Maduro, according to Reuters. The officials added that options under consideration included attempting to overthrow him. Currently all commercial flights off the coast of Puerto Rico which faces Venezuela have been cancelled. Take a look: BREAKING: Temporary flight restriction over parts of Puerto Rico issued by FAA, air has been identified as "National Defense Airspace." pic.twitter.com/RxD086YWLh — E X X ➠A L E R T S (@ExxAlerts) October 31, 2025 U.S. military planes were also seen spotted in the region: US military planes and helicopters were seen at a former base in Puerto Rico. The activity comes amid speculation surrounding a new phase of Venezuela-related operations pic.twitter.com/dEnuDPrvAG — Reuters (@Reuters) November 25, 2025 AP reported the latest on the United States’ tension with Venezuela: The nation’s top military officer is visiting American troops Monday in Puerto Rico and on a Navy warship in the region, where the U.S. has amassed an unusually large fleet of warships and has been attacking alleged drug-smuggling boats. Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and President Donald Trump’s primary military adviser, will be joined by David L. Isom, the senior enlisted adviser to Caine. Caine’s office said in a statement that the men will “engage with service members and thank them for their outstanding support to regional missions.” This will be Caine’s second visit to the region since the U.S. military started building up its presence, which now includes the nation’s most advanced aircraft carrier. Caine and Defense Secretary Pete Hegsethcame to Puerto Rico in September after ships carrying hundreds of U.S. Marines arrived for what officials said was a training exercise. Hegseth said then that the deployed Marines were “on the front lines of defending the American homeland.” Caine’s visit this week comes as Trump evaluates whether to take military action against Venezuela, which he has not ruled out as part of his administration’s escalating campaign to combat drug trafficking into the U.S. The buildup of American warships and the strikes, which have killed more than 80 people on 21 alleged drug boats, are seen by many as a pressure tactic on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to resign.