Caracas Shaken By Explosions As US Strikes Venezuela On Trump's Orders

Last Updated:January 03, 2026, 13:13 IST

Seven explosions and low-flying aircraft were reported in Caracas at 2 a.m. as US President Donald Trump considers ground strikes and deploys a navy task force to the Caribbean.

An undated image circulating on social media shows a night-time view of Caracas. The image, shared by the Tehran Times, could not be independently verified. (IMAGE: TehranTimes/X)

US President Donald Trump ordered strikes on sites inside Venezuela, including military facilities, US officials told US broadcaster CBS News early Saturday, marking a sharp escalation in Washington’s campaign against the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The confirmation came after loud explosions accompanied by the sound of low-flying aircraft were heard across parts of Caracas in the early hours of Saturday, journalists from AFP and the Associated Press reported.

According to AFP, the explosions were heard around 2 am local time (0600 GMT). An Associated Press reporter said at least seven explosions were heard, along with aircraft flying at low altitude over several neighbourhoods of the Venezuelan capital.

Videos purportedly showing the airstrikes were shared by Iran-based media outlet Tehran Times and conflict-tracking handle Clash Report on social media platform X.

However, News18 could not independently verify the authenticity, timing or location of the videos.

Residents in different parts of the city rushed out of their homes following the blasts. Some people could be seen gathering on streets and looking towards the sky from various areas of Caracas, AP reported. The exact source and nature of the explosions remained unclear.

“The whole ground shook. This is horrible. We heard explosions and planes in the distance," said Carmen Hidalgo, a 21-year-old office worker, speaking to AP. She was walking briskly with two relatives after attending a birthday party. “We felt like the air was hitting us."

The reports come amid heightened tensions between Venezuela and the United States. Trump has in recent days deployed a US Navy task force to the Caribbean and publicly raised the possibility of ground strikes against Venezuela.

US officials have said American forces have been targeting alleged drug-smuggling boats in the region as part of counter-narcotics operations. However, it was not immediately known whether Saturday’s explosions in Caracas were linked to those actions or to any other military activity.

Trump said on Monday that US forces had struck and destroyed a docking area used by alleged Venezuelan drug-smuggling boats. He did not specify whether the operation was carried out by the US military or the Central Intelligence Agency, nor did he disclose the exact location, saying only that it took place “along the shore." If confirmed, the operation would mark the first known land strike on Venezuelan territory by the United States.

Maduro has neither confirmed nor denied the reported strike. He said on Thursday that he was open to cooperation with Washington after weeks of mounting US military pressure.

The Trump administration has accused Maduro of heading a drug cartel and says it is intensifying efforts to curb narcotics trafficking. Maduro has rejected the allegations, insisting he has no involvement in the drug trade and claiming Washington is seeking to overthrow his government because Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves.

In recent weeks, Washington has stepped up pressure by informally closing Venezuela’s airspace, imposing additional sanctions and ordering the seizure of tankers carrying Venezuelan oil.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said Venezuela was under attack, claiming missiles were being used against the capital. “Right now they are bombing Caracas. Alert to the whole world, they have attacked Venezuela. They are bombing with missiles. The OAS and the UN must meet immediately," Petro said in a post on X.

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