Blasts and Low-Flying Aircraft Heard in Venezuela's Capital City Caracas
Witness testimonies emerged of several detonations and the roar of low-flying planes in Caracas in the small hours of the weekend. This incident has sparked claims from Venezuela's leadership and requests for international intervention.
Venezuela Condemns United States of Military Action
Venezuela's socialist government has condemned the US of committing "imperialist aggression," stating that ex- President Trump reportedly directed attacks against the Latin American state. In an official declaration, the authorities asserted that strikes had impacted the capital and several other states: Miranda, La Guaira, and Aragua.
"Our only objective of this aggression is to seize control of Venezuela's strategic resources, in particular its petroleum and mineral wealth," Venezuela asserted.
Caracas appealed to the world to denounce the strikes, which it described a "blatant breach of international norms" that placed countless of lives at risk in peril.
Reports of Explosions and Military Bases Hit
Locals spoke of hearing roughly seven powerful blasts around 2:00 AM local time. Citizens in different districts allegedly ran into the open.
"The earth trembled. This is horrible. We experienced explosions and aircraft in the area," stated one witness.
Smoke was reported billowing from two defense sites in the city: the La Carlota airbase airfield and the Fuerte Tiuna base military base, where leader Maduro is reported to reside.
Regional Reaction
The leader of neighboring Colombia, wrote on X that "At this moment they are bombing Venezuela... attacking it with missiles." He called for an immediate emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.
Colombia, which recently joined the Security Council, announced it would initiate security protocols at its frontier with its neighbor.
Context
The alleged strikes follow a prolonged pressure campaign by the Trump administration against the Maduro government. Since last summer, authorities reported a major US military deployment off Venezuela's Caribbean coast and a series of strikes on vessels suspected of illegal activities.
Venezuela's government has announced "the implementation of emergency" and directed all defense protocols to be initiated. It has also called on its citizens to mobilize and "reject this external act."
The White House and the Defense Department have not publicly addressed inquiries for comment regarding the events.