00:00After striking alleged drug cartel boats, now the U.S. could be planning strikes inside that country.
00:06Gabe Gutierrez is at the White House live for us tonight. And, Gabe, what have you learned?
00:11Hi, Tom. NBC News has learned that U.S. military officials are drawing up options to target drug traffickers inside Venezuela, possibly in a matter of weeks.
00:20That's according to two U.S. officials familiar with the planning and two other sources familiar with the discussions.
00:25The sources say the president has not approved any of the plans yet, which include drone strikes targeting drug labs.
00:33The Trump administration says it's blown up boats near Venezuela that were used by drug traffickers.
00:38But the Venezuelan government has denied it. And the country's leader, Nicolás Maduro, says the U.S. wants to force him from power.
00:45A senior administration official says Middle Eastern allies have served as intermediaries in talks with Venezuela.
00:51We thank you for watching. And remember, stay updated on breaking news and top stories on the NBC News app or watch live on our YouTube channel.
