At least seven explosions and low-flying planes were heard in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas around 2 a.m. local time on Saturday, according to the AP.
Residents in several Caracas neighborhoods reported hearing gunfire, prompting many to rush into the streets, Bloomberg reported.
This would mark the first known US strike on Venezuelan territory.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has neither confirmed nor denied the attack, but said Thursday he was open to working with Washington after weeks of US military pressure.
Meanwhile, witnesses told Reuters that the southern part of the city, near a large military base, was suffering from a power outage.
A CBS reporter said on X: “U.S. President Donald Trump’s officials are aware of reports of plane explosions over Caracas.
Trump has repeatedly pledged ground operations in Venezuela amid efforts to pressure President Nicolás Maduro from office, including expanded sanctions, a beefed-up US military presence in the region and more than two dozen strikes on vessels allegedly involved in drug smuggling in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea.
Trump previously said the US had struck and destroyed a docking area used by alleged Venezuelan drug boats. He did not specify whether the operation was carried out by the military or the CIA, or the exact location, saying only that it took place “along the coast”.
The administration has not provided evidence that the targeted ships were involved in drug trafficking, raising questions about the legality of the operations. According to US military figures, the naval campaign has left at least 107 dead in 30 attacks, the AP reported.
(Based on input from agencies, check back for updates later…)
