Detonations and Low-Flying Jets Heard in Venezuela's Capital City Caracas

Witness testimonies surfaced of numerous explosions and the sound of low-altitude aircraft in the Venezuelan capital in the small hours of Saturday. This incident has prompted allegations from the Venezuelan leadership and requests for international intervention.

Venezuela Condemns Washington of Aggression

The authoritarian government has blamed the Washington of what it calls "foreign aggression," claiming that ex- President Trump allegedly authorized strikes against the Latin American state. In an public declaration, the government confirmed that strikes had impacted the capital and several other regions: Miranda, La Guaira state, and Aragua state.

"Our primary goal of these strikes is to gain control of our nation's strategic resources, especially its crude oil and mineral wealth," the government said.

The government urged the international community to denounce the actions, which it labeled a "blatant breach of international law" that put countless of civilians in peril.

Reports of Blasts and Military Sites Hit

Eyewitnesses described experiencing at least multiple detonations around 2:00 AM in the morning. People in different districts allegedly rushed into the streets outside.

"The whole ground shook. It was terrifying. We experienced blasts and planes in the sky," commented one local.

Smoke was reported pouring from key military installations in Caracas: the La Carlota air base and the Fuerte Tiuna military base, where president Maduro is thought to live.

Regional Response

The president of neighboring Colombia, Gustavo Petro, wrote on X that "Right now they are attacking Venezuela... bombing it with projectiles." He demanded an urgent emergency meeting of the Security Council.

Colombia, which recently became a member of the UNSC, announced it would initiate defense protocols at its shared border with Venezuela.

Context

These alleged attacks follow a prolonged military buildup by the United States against the Venezuelan government. Since last summer, there has been a major naval deployment off Venezuela's northern coast and a number of airstrikes on vessels linked to illegal activities.

The administration has announced "a state of external threat" and ordered all national defence protocols to be activated. It has also summoned its citizens to take to the streets and "reject this imperialist attack."

American officials and the US Department of Defense did not promptly responded to inquiries for a statement regarding the reports.