A chilling eyewitness account from a Venezuelan guard present during Operation Absolute Resolve—the mission aimed at capturing illegitimate then-president Nicolás Maduro—has sparked serious attention. According to the guard, U.S. forces deployed an unknown sonic weapon that instantly incapacitated Maduro’s security detail before any shots were fired. The effects? Severe headaches, disorientation, and even vomiting blood. In short, they were completely neutralized. Not exactly the kind of thing you shrug off and walk away from.

Naturally, the big question is whether this report is actually true. Did the United States really unleash a previously unknown, incredibly powerful weapon that flattened the enemy without traditional engagement? It sounds like something out of a movie—except this time, it’s making America’s adversaries very uncomfortable.

On Saturday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt added fuel to the fire with a social media post that strongly suggested the answer might be “yes.” No, she didn’t spell it out in bold letters, but when a close Trump ally says, “stop what you’re doing and read this,” people tend to pay attention. That’s not the kind of thing you post casually, unless you want a message sent loud and clear.

Whether the administration officially confirms the use of a new weapon remains to be seen. But in the meantime, dictators and drug lords across South and Central America are likely losing sleep. The Venezuelan guard certainly was. “I’m sending a warning to anyone who thinks they can fight the United States,” he said. “They have no idea what they’re capable of.”

After what he witnessed, his conclusion was simple and telling: “I never want to be on the other side of that again. They’re not to be messed with.” And if that doesn’t reinforce American strength and deterrence, it’s hard to imagine what does. The takeaway is clear—when the United States is led with resolve, it reminds the world why peace is best preserved through undeniable strength.