Several explosions, aircraft-like sounds and smoke were reported early Saturday, January 3, 2026, in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, as the Venezuelan government accused the US of military aggression against civilian and military installations across the country.
According to the Associated Press (AP), at least 7 explosions and the sound of a low-flying aircraft were heard at 2 am local time (6:00 GMT) in the Venezuelan capital city.
Reuters also reported, citing witnesses, at least one column of smoke in Caracas, and an electricity blackout in the southern area of the city, near a major military base.
The Pentagon referred requests for comment to the White House, which declined to respond. Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration has banned US commercial flights in Venezuelan airspace over “ongoing military activity” before the explosions.
Military Attack
The Venezuelan government, for its part, rejected what it called “US military aggression,” which also included attacks in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira. It said in a statement that President Nicolas Maduro declared a national emergency, calling on “all social and political forces in the country to activate mobilization plans and repudiate this imperialist attack,” it said in a statement.
The statement accused the US of launching this attack to take possession of Venezuela’s oil and minerals, stressing that Washington “will not succeed” in seizing its resources.
US-Venezuela Tensions
This development comes amid heightened tensions between the US and Venezuela, with President Donald Trump repeatedly hinting at imminent land operations in Venezuela.
In recent months, Trump has been ramping up pressure on Venezuela over drug trafficking. This pressure campaign has included expanded sanctions, a US military buildup in the Caribbean, an informal closure of Venezuela’s airspace, and more than two dozen strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats.
On Friday, the South American country signaled openness to negotiating an agreement with the US to combat drug trafficking.
Meanwhile, the Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro, on Thursday accused Washington of attempting to force a government change in Caracas and gain access to the country’s vast oil reserves.
The US administration has charged Maduro with narco-terrorism – a charge that the Venezuelan leader denies.
On Monday, Trump said that the US launched a drone strike at a docking area used by alleged Venezuelan drug cartels, in the first known land strike on Venezuelan soil. However, he declined to say whether those strikes were carried out by the CIA or not.
