Multiple explosions rocked Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, in the early hours of Saturday, January 3, triggering panic among residents and raising fears of a major military escalation after US President Donald Trump claimed that American forces carried out large-scale strikes in the country.
According to reports by Reuters, Associated Press and AFP, at least seven explosions were heard around 2 am local time across Caracas, along with the sound of low-flying aircraft. Blasts were also reported from the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira. Several neighbourhoods in the capital faced power outages following the explosions, CNN reported.
Residents rushed out of their homes as loud sounds echoed across the city. An eyewitness told the Associated Press, “The whole ground shook. This is horrible. We heard explosions and planes in the distance.” Another resident, Carmen Hidalgo, told AFP, “We felt like the air was hitting us. The ground shook badly.”
Soon after the explosions, US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social claiming that the United States had carried out a “large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader.” Trump further claimed that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife had been captured and flown out of the country. “This operation was done in conjunction with US law enforcement,” Trump wrote, though the White House and Pentagon did not immediately issue a detailed official statement.
Venezuela’s government strongly rejected the claims and accused the United States of attacking both civilian and military installations. In an official statement, the Maduro government called the strikes a “grave military aggression” and declared a national emergency. President Maduro ordered all national defence plans to be activated and urged people to take to the streets. “The Bolivarian government calls on all social and political forces to mobilise and reject this imperialist attack,” the statement said.
Venezuela’s Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino said the country would resist any presence of foreign troops. “We will defend our sovereignty,” he said in a video message.
The US State Department issued an alert asking American citizens in Venezuela to shelter in place. It said the US Embassy in Bogota was aware of reports of explosions in and around Caracas. The Federal Aviation Administration also banned US commercial flights from entering Venezuelan airspace due to what it described as ongoing military activity.
International reactions poured in as tensions escalated. Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro said, “Right now they are bombing Caracas. The world must be alerted. The OAS and the UN must meet immediately.” Iran and Cuba condemned the attacks, calling them a violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty. Democratic US Senator Ruben Gallego criticised the action, saying on social media, “This war is illegal,” and described it as the second unjustified war he had witnessed.
According to US officials cited by Reuters and CBS News, the strikes were ordered by President Trump and targeted sites inside Venezuela, including military facilities. The US administration has said its recent actions in the region were linked to counter-narcotics operations, including targeting alleged drug smuggling boats. However, it remains unclear whether the Caracas explosions were directly connected to those operations.
The situation remains tense as parts of Caracas continued to face power cuts hours after the blasts, even though traffic resumed in some areas. With conflicting claims from Washington and Caracas, the full extent of the damage and the status of President Maduro remain unclear, as the world watches closely for further developments in the Venezuela crisis.
