US jets tracked circling Gulf of Venezuela as tensions mount1 day ago Share Save Matt Murphy BBC Verify Share SaveGetty ImagesTwo US fighter jets were tracked circling the Gulf of Venezuela on Tuesday as tensions continue to escalate between the two countries. The F/A-18 Super Hornets appeared on flight tracking sites near Maracaibo, Venezuela's second-largest city, at around 13:00 (17:00 GMT), before circling the gulf for about 40 minutes. A US defence official told the Associated Press the F/A-18 jets had conducted a "routine training flight" in the area. The F/A-18s came within 20 nautical miles of the coastline, flight tracking data showed, but the US official said the jets remained in international airspace. The F/A-18s - which operated under the callsigns RHINO11 and RHINO12 - flew six loops up and down the Gulf of Venezuela.