A JetBlue passenger plane (File photo)

A US military refueling aircraft nearly collides with a civilian passenger plane off the coast of Venezuela, an incident that has heightened safety concerns as the United States intensifies its military posture in the Caribbean.

The near miss occurred on Sunday as JetBlue Flight 1112 was traveling from Curaçao to New York`s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

"We almost had a midair collision up here ... it was an air-to-air refueler from the United States Air Force and it was at our altitude ... We had to stop our climb," the JetBlue pilot said, according to a recording of his conversation with air traffic control.

"They passed directly in our flight path ... They do not have their transponder turned on, it is outrageous," the pilot added.

JetBlue reported the incident to authorities later that day, according to company spokesperson Derek Dombrowski.

"Our crew members are trained on proper procedures for various flight situations, and we appreciate our crew for promptly reporting this situation to our leadership team," he said.

The US Southern Command, which oversees military activity in the region, confirmed it was aware of the reports.

Spokesperson Colonel Manny Ortiz said the command was "aware of the recent reporting regarding US military aircraft operations in the Caribbean and are currently reviewing the matter."

The incident comes amid a sustained expansion of US military operations in the Caribbean and near Venezuela, carried out under the stated justification of counter-narcotics efforts.

Since August, US Southern Command has deployed warships, submarines, aircraft carriers, F-35 squadrons, and approximately 15,000 personnel to the area.

These deployments include Carrier Strike Group Twelve, featuring the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world`s largest aircraft carrier.

Since September, US forces in the region have conducted lethal strikes on more than 20 alleged narco-trafficking vessels, resulting in at least 87 deaths.

Officials in Caracas have condemned the operations as a deliberate display of US hostility aimed at intimidating the region and undermining Venezuela`s sovereignty amid rising geopolitical tensions.

Washington has also claimed, without providing evidence, that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro leads the Cartel de los Soles, which the US designated a terrorist organization last month.

Maduro has said the administration of US President Donald Trump seeks to remove him from power and seize the country`s oil resources.