U.S. tests intercontinental ballistic missiles off Florida amid threats to Venezuela

The United States Navy conducted a series of test launches of Trident II D5 intercontinental ballistic missiles from a submarine off the coast of Florida last week, amid growing diplomatic tensions with Venezuela. According to an official statement released this Tuesday, the exercises took place between September 17 and 21 and included four "scheduled" launches of "disarmed" missiles in the Atlantic, east of the Florida coast. One of them illuminated the night sky on Sunday and was even visible from Puerto Rico. The Navy emphasized that the maneuvers aimed to demonstrate the "preparedness and reliability" of its strategic arsenal and are not linked to specific political events. The test is part of the life extension program (D5LE), designed to ensure the system's operability until at least the 2040s. The Trident II D5 is a three-stage, solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile with a range exceeding 7,000 kilometers and the capacity to carry multiple warheads, including nuclear ones. It is designed to operate from Ohio-class submarines of the U.S. Navy and Vanguard-class submarines of the British Royal Navy. A single Ohio-class submarine can carry up to 20 of these missiles.

Venezuela Warning

From Caracas, President Nicolás Maduro reacted with strong criticism and warned that "aggression against Venezuela would be the beginning of a catastrophic war in the Caribbean and South America." The leader announced that the Council of State will remain in permanent session to prepare measures against what he described as "all threats from Washington", accusing the Donald Trump administration of flagrantly violating international law. Maduro emphasized that the rejection of US policy is "growing" in multilateral forums such as the UN and CELAC. He also denounced that the narrative promoted from Washington seeks to impose a climate of violence in the region. "That plan to attack Venezuela is crude and stupid, thought up by imbeciles who live in Miami, Madrid and beyond," expressed the Venezuelan ruler. The statements come in a context of political and diplomatic friction following recent pronouncements from the White House, while analysts warn of the risk of a new escalation of tensions in the Caribbean.