Blasts and Low-Flying Planes Heard in Venezuelan Capital Caracas City

Witness testimonies circulated of numerous explosions and the roar of low-altitude jets in Caracas in the pre-dawn hours of Saturday. The incident has led to allegations from Venezuela's leadership and requests for global intervention.

Venezuela Blames Washington of Attack

Venezuela's authoritarian regime has blamed the United States of what it calls "imperialist aggression," alleging that ex- President Donald Trump supposedly directed strikes against the South American country. In an public declaration, the authorities stated that attacks had hit the capital and several other provinces: Miranda state, La Guaira state, and Aragua.

"Our only objective of these strikes is to take control of our nation's key assets, notably its petroleum and resources," the government asserted.

Caracas appealed to the world to condemn the actions, which it termed a "blatant breach of international law" that endangered countless of lives in jeopardy.

Reports of Blasts and Military Sites Hit

Eyewitnesses reported hearing approximately several detonations around the middle of the night in the morning. Citizens in different districts allegedly rushed into the streets.

"Everything shook. It was terrifying. We experienced blasts and jets in the sky," said one resident.

Black smoke was observed billowing from key military installations in Caracas: the La Carlota military airfield and the Fuerte Tiuna base military base, where president Nicolás Maduro is thought to reside.

International Response

The president of neighboring Colombia, Gustavo Petro, stated on X that "At this moment they are bombing Venezuela... attacking it with missiles." He demanded an urgent meeting of the Security Council.

Colombia, which just joined the UNSC, stated it would initiate defense measures at its border with its neighbor.

Context

These alleged strikes come after a prolonged military buildup by the Trump administration against the Venezuelan administration. Since last summer, authorities reported a significant American military deployment off Venezuela's northern coast and a number of air strikes on ships linked to drug trafficking.

The government has stated "a state of emergency" and ordered all defense protocols to be initiated. It has also urged its citizens to mobilize and "repudiate this external aggression."

US authorities and the US Department of Defense did not promptly addressed inquiries for comment regarding the allegations.