Explosions rock Venezuelan capital Caracas amid fears of US strikes
The blasts were reported hours after US President Donald Trump, who has deployed a US Navy task force to the Caribbean, raised the possibility of ground strikes against Venezuela, according to AFP.
New Delhi: Loud explosions, accompanied by sounds resembling aircraft flyovers, were heard in the Venezuelan capital Caracas in the early hours of Saturday, news agency Reuters reported.
The blasts were reported hours after US President Donald Trump, who has deployed a US Navy task force to the Caribbean, raised the possibility of ground strikes against Venezuela, according to AFP. Sources said explosions were still being heard around 2.15 am local time, though their exact locations remained unclear.
Smoke billowing from multiple locations across the capital
Videos shared on social media platform X showed smoke billowing from multiple locations across the capital, though authorities have yet to issue an official statement confirming the cause of the explosions. If confirmed, the incident would mark the first known land strike on Venezuelan soil.
The Venezuelan government later said President Nicolás Maduro had declared a national emergency and accused the United States of carrying out "military aggression". In a statement, the government said the US "will not succeed" in taking Venezuela's resources, claiming the objective of the attacks was to seize control of the country’s oil and mineral wealth. It also called on all social and political forces to activate mobilisation plans.
Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira also attacked
The government said the attacks took place in Caracas and in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira. Separately, a CBS reporter said on X that Trump had ordered strikes on sites inside Venezuela, including military facilities.