WASHINGTON, October 3. /TASS/. The administration of US President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to commence operations against alleged Venezuelan drug cartels, recognized as terrorist organizations in the United States under the laws of armed conflict, The Hill reported, citing a document.

"The President directed the Department of War to conduct operations against them [cartels] pursuant to the law of armed conflict," reads the notice sent to US Congress. It also states that the US is now engaged in "a non-international armed conflict with these designated terrorist organizations." The notice further declares that the US "has now reached a critical point," where it "must use force in self-defense and defense of others."

According to the newspaper, the document does not specify which drug cartels classified as terrorist organizations will be targeted by the US military. The Pentagon has also not provided a list of cartel names.

Earlier, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto strongly protested the intrusion of US combat aircraft into the republic's airspace, as recorded by Venezuela's integrated air defense system. He called these actions a provocation that threatens national sovereignty and violates international law.

On September 5, Trump assured that Washington was not considering overthrowing the government in Caracas. Just days earlier, on September 2, he reported that US forces had killed 11 members of a Venezuelan drug cartel during an operation in international waters. According to Trump, Venezuela is not doing enough to combat drug trafficking.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has voiced the opinion that the republic is facing the most serious threat of a US invasion in the last 100 years.