President Donald Trump on Thursday said that the Wall Street Journal report claiming that the US is sending B-1 bombers near Venezuela to increase military pressure was false. However, the 79-year-old warned that ‘we could see land action soon’.

“No, it’s false,” Trump told reporters when asked about the report. He further added that Washington is ‘very unhappy with Venezuela’.

When asked about a possible declaration of war, he added: “Well, I don’t think we’re going to necessarily ask for a declaration of war. I think we’re just going to kill people who are bringing drugs into our country. Okay? We’re going to kill them.”

Earlier in the day, the WSJ reported that two Air Force B-1 bombers flew near Venezuela days after other warplanes conducted an ‘attack demonstration’ close to the South American country, led by Nicolas Maduro. The newspaper stated that two Lancer bombers left from Dyess Air Force Base in Texas and flew near Venezuelan territory. They were in international airspace.

Earlier this month, the US announced that it carried out its ninth strike against an alleged drug-smuggling vessel, killing three people in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth noted that the strike followed an attack on Tuesday night in the same region. Two people were killed. The attacks on vessels began last month and have left at least 37 people dead.

Venezuela says CIA operations ‘will fail’

Meanwhile, Venezuela’s defense minister said Thursday any CIA operation against his country ‘will fail’, after Donald Trump authorized covert action. “We know the CIA is present” in Venezuela, minister Vladimir Padrino said. “They may deploy I don’t know how many CIA-affiliated units in covert operations… and any attempt will fail.”

Trump last week said he had authorized covert CIA action against Venezuela and said he was considering strikes against alleged drug cartels on land, after having already started a campaign to hit alleged drug-trafficking boats at sea.