Blasts and Low-Altitude Planes Reported in Venezuelan Capital Caracas
Witness testimonies emerged of multiple blasts and the sound of low-flying planes in the Venezuelan capital in the pre-dawn hours of the weekend. This incident has prompted allegations from the Venezuelan leadership and calls for international intervention.
Venezuela Accuses United States of Military Action
The incumbent regime has accused the US of what it calls "imperial aggression," stating that ex- President Donald Trump reportedly ordered attacks against the South American country. In an formal statement, the authorities confirmed that strikes had targeted Caracas and three other provinces: Miranda state, La Guaira state, and Aragua.
"Our only objective of these strikes is to gain control of our nation's key assets, especially its oil and resources," the statement declared.
Venezuelan officials urged the global community to denounce the actions, which it termed a "clear infringement of international norms" that endangered numerous of lives at risk in peril.
Accounts of Explosions and Military Bases Targeted
Locals spoke of feeling approximately multiple detonations around the middle of the night in the morning. People in different areas allegedly hurried into the streets outside.
"The whole ground shook. It was terrifying. We heard explosions and aircraft in the sky," said one witness.
Smoke was observed billowing from major military installations in Caracas: the La Carlota airbase airfield and the Fuerte Tiuna compound, where leader Maduro is thought to reside.
Global Response
The president of neighboring Colombia, Gustavo Petro, stated on social media that "Currently they are bombing Venezuela... attacking it with rockets." He demanded an swift emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.
Colombia, which recently became a member of the Security Council, announced it would activate operational measures at its frontier with its neighbor.
Preceding Events
These reported strikes are preceded by a months-long pressure campaign by the Trump administration against the Venezuelan regime. Since last summer, there has been a substantial American military buildup off Venezuela's Caribbean coast and a series of airstrikes on vessels suspected of illegal activities.
The administration has declared "a state of external disturbance" and commanded all defense measures to be initiated. It has also urged its citizens to take to the streets and "reject this foreign act."
US authorities and the Defense Department have not promptly addressed requests for clarification regarding the events.
