(MENAFN) The USS Gerald R. Ford, recognized as the largest aircraft carrier globally, along with its accompanying strike group, entered the jurisdiction of the US Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) on Tuesday as frictions with Venezuela continue to intensify.

In a declaration released by the US Navy, the deployment was said to follow an order from Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, aligning with President Donald Trump’s plan to dismantle international criminal organizations and counter narco-terrorism that endangers both US and regional safety.

“The enhanced US force presence in the USSOUTHCOM AOR will bolster US capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States homeland and our security in the Western Hemisphere,” stated Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell.

“These forces will enhance and augment existing capabilities to disrupt narcotics trafficking and degrade and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations."

The strike group, consisting of over 4,000 sailors and nine tactical air squadrons, will collaborate with other American units stationed in the region.

These include the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and its Marine Expeditionary Unit, operating under a Joint Task Force established to target criminal networks throughout the Caribbean and Latin America.

"Through unwavering commitment and the precise use of our forces, we stand ready to combat the transnational threats that seek to destabilize our region," affirmed Adm. Alvin Holsey, Commander of SOUTHCOM.

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