U.S. launches military strikes on Venezuela

The Venezuelan government said the strikes also targeted the states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira. In response, Maduro declared a nationwide state of emergency and ordered the mobilization of defense forces.

Explosions, aircraft activity, and thick black smoke were visible across Caracas from around 2 a.m. local time for approximately 90 minutes, according to witnesses cited by Reuters and videos shared on social media. Residents in several parts of the city reported fear and confusion as bright flashes lit up the sky and smoke billowed over residential areas.

A power outage was reported in the southern part of the capital, near a major military base.

The strikes come amid a significant U.S. military buildup in the region, including the deployment of an aircraft carrier, warships, and advanced fighter jets to the Caribbean. Trump has repeatedly vowed to intensify pressure on Venezuela’s government and has publicly suggested that Maduro should step aside.

The Pentagon referred questions about the operation to the White House, which declined to comment.

In a statement, the Venezuelan government accused the United States of seeking to seize the country’s oil and mineral resources, insisting that such efforts would fail. Venezuela holds some of the world’s largest proven oil reserves and has long accused Washington of using sanctions and military pressure to gain control over its natural wealth.

The latest attacks follow an intensification of U.S. actions against Venezuela, including expanded sanctions, efforts to block Venezuelan oil exports, and dozens of strikes on vessels that Washington claims were involved in drug trafficking in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Trump has accused Venezuela of fueling the U.S. drug trade, a charge the Maduro government has consistently rejected.

Last week, Trump said the United States had struck an area in Venezuela where boats were allegedly being loaded with drugs, marking what he described as the first known U.S. land operations in the country since the current pressure campaign began. Several countries have condemned the strikes as extrajudicial.