CARACAS, Venezuela — The long-dreaded scenario of a direct military confrontation between the United States and Venezuela appeared to materialize in the early hours of Saturday, as a series of powerful explosions shook the capital, Caracas. The government of President Nicolás Maduro immediately declared a state of emergency, labeling the events a “serious military aggression” ordered directly by U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to multiple reports from U.S. media outlets citing anonymous government sources, the strikes constituted a military operation targeting strategic Venezuelan installations. President Maduro, in an official statement carried by international news agencies, forcefully condemned the action. “Venezuela, before the international community, rejects, denies, and condemns the very serious military aggression currently being carried out by the United States government against the territory and people of Venezuela,” the statement read.
The explosions occurred around 2:00 a.m. local time, sending panic through the city’s streets. “The whole ground shook. It was terrifying. We heard explosions and planes in the distance,” 21-year-old office worker Carmen Hidalgo told The Guardian, describing scenes of residents fleeing their homes. Journalists reported plumes of smoke rising from at least two major military facilities: the La Carlota Air Base in the city center and the Fuerte Tiuna military complex, a known residence of President Maduro. The Higuerote airport east of Caracas was also reportedly hit.
While the White House and the Pentagon have yet to issue official statements, the reported scale of the operation suggests a significant escalation. The attack follows years of deteriorating relations, marked by crippling U.S. economic sanctions and Washington’s accusations of human rights abuses and drug trafficking ties against Maduro’s government—charges he consistently denies.
The international reaction was swift. Colombian President Gustavo Petro took to social media to confirm the assault, writing, “Right now they are bombing Caracas… Bombing it with missiles.” He urgently called for the United Nations Security Council to convene an emergency session.
As daylight broke over a jittery capital, the full extent of casualties and damage remained unclear. The situation in Caracas was described as unstable, with the Venezuelan government intensifying its calls for international condemnation. The events mark a perilous new chapter, moving a protracted geopolitical standoff from the realms of sanctions and rhetoric into the arena of overt, kinetic conflict.
Venezuela accuses the United States of military strikes and declares a national emergency after explosions in Caracas and other areas, intensifying geopolitical tensions.
— Hey Bali (@Heybaliinfo) January 3, 2026
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