Washington DC, Sept. 5 -- Two Venezuelan military aircraft flew near a US Navy ship in international waters, the US Department of Defense said, in a move described as "highly provocative" amid escalating tension between Washington and Caracas.

The Defence Department warned Venezuela in a statement late on Thursday to cease further provocative moves, describing the Venezuelan aircraft buzzing over the US vessel - reported to be the guided-missile destroyer Jason Dunham - as an attempt "to interfere with our counter-narco-terror operations".

"Today, two Maduro regime military aircraft flew near a US Navy vessel in international waters," the Pentagon said in a post on the X platform.

"The cartel running Venezuela is strongly advised not t...