• Venezuela resumes US migrant repatriation flights despite Trump's airspace claims.
• Flights will operate regularly on Wednesdays and Fridays.
• Over 13,000 Venezuelans have been deported this year, reversing previous policy.
• Military strikes against drug-smuggling vessels continue alongside deportation efforts.
• Tensions between the US and Venezuela remain high amidst military threats.

Venezuela has authorized the resumption of migrant repatriation flights from the United States, following a formal request from the Trump administration. These flights, operating from Phoenix, Arizona, to Maiquetía International Airport near Caracas, will resume on a regular schedule of Wednesdays and Fridays, reversing an earlier suspension caused by confusion surrounding Trump's assertion that Venezuelan airspace should be considered closed. This statement sparked heightened tensions between the two nations, given that flights had been ongoing since early this year, according to aa and indiatimes.

The Venezuelan government has indicated that the repatriation flights will proceed following Trump's request, illustrating a shift in its earlier stance of refusing deportees. Since the change in policy, over 13,000 Venezuelans have returned home this year, which the Maduro administration frames as a necessary action amid U.S. detention challenges. The latest charter flights operated by a U.S. contractor and Venezuela’s state-owned airline have been consistently landing near Caracas, highlighting an operational resolution to the recent diplomatic discord, according to latimes and indiatimes.

Simultaneously, the U.S. continues to expand its military operations in the region, conducting targeted strikes on suspected drug smuggling vessels linked to Venezuelan criminal organizations. The Trump administration has justified these military actions as part of a broader strategy against transnational criminal groups, claiming some of these organizations are backed by the Maduro government. Trump's recent comments suggested potential land assaults beyond Venezuela, affecting countries like Colombia, which he identified as a significant producer of drugs, according to latimes and aa.

As the U.S. and Venezuela grapple with escalating tensions and conflicting diplomatic positions, Pope Leo XVI called for dialogue instead of military action, emphasizing the importance of addressing ordinary Venezuelans' plight through more constructive means. His remarks highlight a potential pathway towards reducing tensions between the nations amid ongoing political and military strains, according to latimes.