Explosions Rock Caracas as Venezuela Accuses U.S. of Military Strikes

Multiple powerful explosions shook Venezuela’s capital and surrounding areas early Saturday, prompting President Nicolás Maduro to declare a national state of emergency and accuse the United States of a “grave military aggression.”

Eyewitnesses reported at least seven blasts around 2 a.m. local time, with plumes of smoke rising from key sites including Fuerte Tiuna — the country’s largest military complex — and La Carlota airfield in central Caracas. Low-flying aircraft were heard overhead, and fires were visible at military installations. Additional explosions were reported in the states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira.

In an official statement, the Venezuelan government condemned the alleged attacks as targeting both civilian and military sites, describing them as a violation of the U.N. Charter and an attempt to seize the nation’s oil and mineral resources. “The United States will not succeed,” the statement read, vowing to activate full national defense plans.

Maduro mobilized forces and called for public resistance, framing the incident as “imperialist aggression” amid months of escalating U.S. pressure.

The White House and Pentagon have not commented on the reports. However, U.S. officials told CBS News that President Donald Trump approved land-based strikes inside Venezuela days earlier, marking a sharp intensification of the administration’s campaign against alleged “narco-terrorist” networks linked to Maduro’s government.

This comes on the heels of  Operation Southern Spear, a U.S.-led counter-narcotics effort launched in late 2025 that has included dozens of lethal strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels in international waters, killing over 115 people, as well as a confirmed CIA drone attack on a coastal dock facility in December the first acknowledged U.S. action on Venezuelan soil.

Regional leaders reacted swiftly. Colombian President Gustavo Petro posted on social media: “Right now they are bombing Caracas. Alert to the whole world, they have attacked Venezuela.” Cuba denounced the alleged strikes as “state terrorism,” while allies of Maduro called for international condemnation.

Experts have questioned the scale of U.S. actions, noting Venezuela’s limited role in U.S.-bound drugs compared to routes through Mexico. Critics, including some in Congress, argue the operations risk broader conflict without clear evidence tying Maduro directly to trafficking.

No casualties have been confirmed from Saturday’s incidents, and the situation remains fluid. The U.S. has maintained a significant military presence in the Caribbean, including the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier group and thousands of troops.

Developments are ongoing, with fears of further escalation in a region already strained by sanctions, blockades, and prior seizures of Venezuelan oil tankers.