Washington: The United States launched what President Donald Trump described as a “large-scale strike” against Venezuela early Saturday, claiming that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out of the country following the operation.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said US forces had successfully carried out the operation and announced he would hold a news conference at 11:00 a.m. (1600 GMT) at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
Explosions were reported in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, around 2:00 a.m. local time, according to an AFP journalist, with residents also reporting the sound of aircraft overhead. Blasts were also heard in La Guaira, north of Caracas, where the country’s main airport and port are located.
Venezuela’s government said strikes also occurred in the states of Miranda and Aragua, prompting Maduro to declare a national emergency and order the mobilization of defense forces.
BREAKING: Trump administration officials are aware of reports of explosions and aircraft over Venezuela’s capital Caracas early this morning, sources tell @CBSNews. No official comment yet.
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) January 3, 2026
“The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela rejects, repudiates, and denounces before the international community the extremely serious military aggression perpetrated by the current government of the United States of America against Venezuelan territory and people,” the government said in a statement.
US media outlets including Fox News and CBS News reported that American forces were conducting military operations inside Venezuela, marking a dramatic escalation after months of threats by Trump against Maduro’s government. A US official confirmed that strikes had taken place but provided no further details.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on X that Venezuela was being bombed and called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations and the Organization of American States, though he did not cite a source for his claims.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Trump administration has accused Maduro’s government of drug trafficking and has imposed expanded sanctions, announced a blockade of Venezuelan oil, and increased US military presence in the Caribbean, including deploying an aircraft carrier, warships, and fighter jets.
Maduro has repeatedly accused Washington of attempting to overthrow his government to gain access to Venezuela’s oil reserves, accusations
