U.S. Strikes in Venezuela, Iran Support Asia Deterrence

Daniel Hanson

cargo ships and helicopter in open sea

Summary

U.S. military operations in Venezuela and Iran have strengthened deterrence efforts in the Indo-Pacific, a Navy commander said Monday in Hawaii.

Why this matters

The statement signals that U.S. global military actions are intended to project strength and maintain deterrence in Asia, despite growing focus on other regions.

Recent U.S. military actions in Venezuela and Iran have reinforced deterrence efforts in the Indo-Pacific, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said Monday.

Adm. Samuel Paparo told attendees at the Honolulu Defense Forum that the operations demonstrated U.S. military capabilities and resolve, which he said support regional stability in Asia.

The annual conference, hosted by Pacific Forum International, brings together global defense and industry leaders to discuss military readiness and deterrence.

Paparo cited two operations in particular: Operation Absolute Resolve and Operation Midnight Hammer. The former involved the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife by U.S. forces on Jan. 3, as part of a wider campaign of strikes in Venezuela. The couple was flown to the United States and faces charges tied to narcotics-related terrorism.

While President Donald Trump called the mission “brilliant,” many Democratic lawmakers criticized it as a violation of domestic and international law. Some analysts have raised concerns the action could prompt China to act more aggressively toward Taiwan.

In the separate Operation Midnight Hammer, U.S. forces struck three nuclear facilities in Iran in June.

“To the extent that Midnight Hammer and Absolute Resolve were expressions of capabilities and will, ultimately they help to preserve deterrence in the Indo-Pacific,” Paparo said.

Responding to questions at the forum, Paparo rejected the idea that the Indo-Pacific had diminished as a strategic U.S. focus due to operations in other regions.

“The Department of War has been quite clear that the Indo-Pacific is a priority theater,” he said.

He added that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth views North Korea, China, and Russia as leading regional threats.

However, the White House’s National Security Strategy, released this fall, designated the Americas as the top strategic priority, focusing on migration and transnational crime. It also reaffirmed the Indo-Pacific’s importance and encouraged allied nations to take increased responsibility for the region’s defense.

Paparo said that recent operations in Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East had not drawn resources away from Indo-Pacific forces.

“We’ve not seen any of those operations actually divert forces that would otherwise be used for deterrence,” he said. “None of those have really imposed any cost at all on our ability to fight and win in the Indo-Pacific.”

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