US President Donald Trump has renewed his accusation that Venezuela is sending gang members and drugs to the United States, which he said was not acceptable.

Tension has been high between the two countries since the US deployed warships to the Southern Caribbean on what officials said were counter-narcotics operations.

As part of that deployment, the US launched an attack on a boat said to be carrying drugs from Venezuela, killing all 11 people on board.

Asked by a journalist on Sunday whether the US would now start doing strikes on mainland Venezuela, Trump answered: We'll see what happens.

Speaking to reporters in New Jersey, the president said Venezuela was sending us their gang members, their drug dealers and drugs.

He noted that maritime traffic in the Southern Caribbean had reduced significantly since the first strike.

Experts raised questions about the legality of the 2 September attack on the alleged drug boat, suggesting it may have violated international law.

Venezuela retaliated by flying two F-16 fighter jets over a US Navy destroyer two days later, prompting Trump to issue a warning that any Venezuelan jets putting us in a dangerous situation would be shot down.

Last Saturday, tensions escalated when Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil accused US forces of boarding a Venezuelan vessel, which he described as a small, harmless fishing boat, claiming it was seized illegally and hostilely for eight hours.

In a statement, the Venezuelan foreign ministry alleged that those ordering the seizure were looking for an incident to justify escalating war in the Caribbean, with the aim of regime change in Caracas.

The US, alongside countries like the UK, has not recognized Nicolás Maduro's re-election in July 2024, with allegations that opposition evidence suggests his competitor, Edmundo González, won by a landslide.

US officials have also accused Maduro of leading a drug cartel and are offering a reward of $50m for information leading to his capture.

Maduro has denied these allegations, labeling US actions as imperialist moves aimed at his ouster, and is urging Venezuelans to join the militia, a group made up mostly of civilians in past used to bolster political events.