The U.S. military has flown a pair of fighter jets over the Gulf of Venezuela in what appears to be the closest American warplanes have come to the South American country’s airspace since the start of the Trump administration’s pressure campaign.

Two U.S. F-18 fighter jets entered Venezuelan airspace in a dramatic show of force as military tensions between Washington and the Maduro regime escalate

A senior German lawmaker on Tuesday urged Germany and France to salvage a 100 billion euro ($116 billion) defence project by developing a shared combat system while allowing each country to use its own fighter jets.

Multiple U.S. companies including Northrop Grumman, Anduril Industries and Lockheed Martin are developing autonomous fighter jets for the military.

The plane appeared to lose control and dive directly toward the ground just before crashing inside the grounds of the airfield.

New documents reveal how the USS Gettysburg shot down an F/A-18 and nearly hit a second one above the Red Sea last year.

US Navy F/A-18 jets flew over the Gulf of Venezuela, staying in international airspace. The flight comes amid a major US military buildup and ongoing strikes on drug-smuggling boats.

F Super Hornet and a MH-60R Sea Hawk that crashed off the USS Nimitz in back-to-back incidents have been recovered.