US President Donald Trump is considering a number of options, including carrying out military strikes on drug cartels in Venezuela as part of a broader strategy aimed at weakening the position of the country's President Nicolas Maduro.

As Ukrinform reports, this was reported by CNN, citing informed sources familiar with the White House administration's plans.

According to sources, officials from the Trump administration believe that future strikes on Venezuelan drug traffickers could put pressure on people in Maduro's entourage.

These people have benefited from illegal drug flows for years, and potential US military strikes could constrain them so much that they will consider ways to remove the Venezuelan leader from power.

Sources also claim that the Trump administration is currently deliberately sending vague signals, and add that there are currently no indications that the head of the White House has already decided to carry out military strikes on targets in Venezuela.

However, two White House officials also do not rule out the possibility of similar strikes in the future.

According to the interlocutors, Trump told national security and defense officials that if there was an opportunity to kill terrorists, he would immediately give them the green light to do so.

It is reported that on Tuesday, the United States struck a boat suspected of carrying Venezuelan drug traffickers in international waters. A total of 11 people on board the boat were killed.

As Ukrinform reported, in late August, the United States significantly increased its military presence near Venezuela, sending about 5,000 military personnel to the region.

The other day two military aircraft of the Venezuelan armed forces flew dangerously close to a US Navy ship that was patrolling near the Venezuelan coast in international waters of the Caribbean Sea.

In early August, the United States offered a"historic reward" of $50 million for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.