Explosions and Low-Flying Planes Heard in Venezuela's Capital City Caracas City

Accounts emerged of numerous detonations and the noise of low-flying planes in the Venezuelan capital in the small hours of Saturday morning. This event has led to claims from the Venezuelan leadership and requests for diplomatic intervention.

Caracas Condemns United States of Attack

The authoritarian government has accused the United States of committing "imperial aggression," stating that ex- President Donald Trump supposedly directed strikes against the South American state. In an official declaration, the government confirmed that strikes had targeted Caracas and several other states: Miranda state, La Guaira, and Aragua state.

"The sole aim of this attack is to gain control of our nation's natural resources, in particular its petroleum and mineral wealth," the government asserted.

Caracas appealed to the global community to denounce the operations, which it described a "blatant breach of global law" that put millions of lives at risk in danger.

Reports of Explosions and Defense Bases Targeted

Locals described experiencing approximately seven powerful blasts around 2:00 AM local time. Residents in various areas allegedly hurried into the open.

"Everything shook. It was horrible. We experienced blasts and jets in the sky," stated one witness.

Plumes of smoke was seen rising from major defense sites in Caracas: the La Carlota airbase military airfield and the Fuerte Tiuna base army base, where leader Maduro is reported to have a residence.

Regional Response

The leader of neighboring Colombia, stated on social media that "Right now they are attacking Caracas... bombing it with rockets." He demanded an swift meeting of the United Nations Security Council.

The Colombian government, which just became a member of the Security Council, announced it would activate operational protocols at its shared border with Venezuela.

Background

The alleged strikes come after a months-long campaign of pressure by the United States against the Maduro government. Since August, there has been a major naval presence off the country's northern coast and a series of airstrikes on ships suspected of narco-trafficking.

Venezuela's government has declared "a state of external threat" and ordered all national defence measures to be initiated. It has also called on its political forces to mobilize and "reject this imperialist aggression."

American officials and the Defense Department did not publicly addressed requests for clarification regarding the events.