At least seven explosions have shaken Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, as low-flying aircraft have been detected in the skies above the city, in what the Venezuelan government said were coordinated US strikes.
Explosions and smoke were reported across Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, at around 2 a.m. local time (6 a.m. GMT) with power outages near a key military base and reports of low-flying aircraft on Saturday.
People in various neighborhoods rushed to the streets. Some could be seen in the distance from various areas of Caracas.
President Nicolas Maduro announced a nationwide state of emergency, ordered the full activation of national defense plans, and authorized the deployment of comprehensive defense commands across the country in response to the attacks.
In a statement, the Venezuelan government said US forces carried out coordinated strikes on civilian and military targets in Caracas and several other states, describing the operation as a direct act of military aggression aimed at seizing the country’s oil and mineral wealth.
The government urged its supporters to mobilize nationwide in response to the attacks.
“People to the streets!” the statement said. “The Bolivarian Government calls on all social and political forces in the country to activate mobilization plans and repudiate this imperialist attack.”
Caracas said it retains the right to legitimate self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter and called on regional governments and the international community to stand against what it described as imperialist aggression.
American news outlets reported that US President Donald Trump had greenlighted direct attacks on Venezuelan soil several days ago.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro condemned the attack, calling on the UN to convene immediately to discuss the issue.
"Caracas has been attacked by missiles, and the world must be aware; Venezuela is under attack. The Organization of American States and the United Nations must convene immediately," Petro said in a post published on X.
Since August, US Southern Command has deployed warships, submarines, aircraft carriers, F-35 squadrons, and approximately 15,000 personnel to the area.
These deployments include Carrier Strike Group Twelve, featuring the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier.
Since September, the US military has carried out more than 30 such strikes, with a reported death toll of at least 115.
Officials in Caracas have condemned the operations as a deliberate display of US hostility aimed at intimidating the region and undermining Venezuela’s sovereignty amid rising geopolitical tensions.
Washington has also claimed, without providing evidence, that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro leads the Cartel de los Soles, which the US designated a terrorist organization last month.
Maduro has said the administration of US President Donald Trump seeks to remove him from power and seize the country’s oil resources.
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