United States President Donald Trump ordered air strikes on targets inside Venezuela, including military facilities, according to a report by a CBS journalist, after explosions, low flying aircraft, and smoke were witnessed in the capital city of Caracas on Saturday. Loud noises were heard across several neighbourhoods as residents rushed outdoors in fear.
The government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro accused the United States of carrying out attacks on both civilian and military installations across multiple states. Smoke was seen rising from the hangar area of a military base in Caracas, while another military installation in the capital reportedly lost power following the incident.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as people gathered in streets across the city. A 21 year old office worker, Carmen Hidalgo, said the ground shook violently as explosions echoed through the area. She said the force of the blasts felt like air crashing against them as she hurried home with relatives after attending a birthday celebration.
In an official statement, the Venezuelan government urged its supporters to mobilise and take to the streets. It called on social and political organisations to activate protest plans and strongly condemn what it described as an imperialist attack. The statement added that President Maduro had ordered the full implementation of national defence plans and declared a state of external disturbance.
US administration officials acknowledged awareness of reports involving aircraft and explosions over Caracas, according to a social media post by CBS journalist Jennifer Jacobs. However, the White House and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Venezuelan government said it firmly rejects what it termed military aggression by the United States, alleging that the true objective of the attack was to seize control of Venezuela’s oil and mineral resources. At least seven explosions and continuous aircraft movement were reported around 2 am local time in Caracas.
The developments come amid ongoing US military operations targeting alleged drug smuggling vessels in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean. On Friday, Venezuelan authorities stated they were open to negotiations with Washington on cooperation to combat drug trafficking.
In a previously recorded interview aired earlier in the week, President Maduro claimed the United States was seeking regime change in Venezuela and access to its vast oil reserves through sustained military and economic pressure. He linked this campaign to a large scale US military deployment in the Caribbean that began in August.
President Trump has repeatedly warned of possible land operations in Venezuela as part of efforts to force Maduro from office. These measures have included expanded economic sanctions, a strengthened US military presence in the region, and dozens of strikes on vessels allegedly connected to drug trafficking operations.
Maduro has been charged in the United States with narco terrorism. Reports also indicate that a drone strike last week targeted a docking area believed to be used by Venezuelan drug cartels, marking what was described as the first direct US operation on Venezuelan soil since naval strikes began months ago.
The US has also seized sanctioned oil tankers near Venezuela’s coast and imposed blockades on others, actions widely seen as aimed at tightening economic pressure on the South American nation. Since early September, US forces have carried out at least 35 known strikes on boats, with reported fatalities exceeding 115, according to figures released by the Trump administration.
These actions followed a significant military buildup off South America, including the deployment of the United States’ most advanced aircraft carrier in November, adding thousands of troops to what officials described as the largest American military presence in the region in decades.
Trump has defended the naval strikes as a necessary step to curb drug flows into the United States, asserting that the country is engaged in an armed conflict with international drug cartels.
Iranian state media also reported the explosions in Caracas, broadcasting images from the Venezuelan capital. Iran has maintained close ties with Venezuela for years, largely driven by their shared opposition to US policies.
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