Reports Of US Airstrikes As Multiple Explosions Rock Venezuelan Capital Caracas

Early Saturday, residents of Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, reported hearing multiple loud explosions and the roar of low-flying aircraft, coinciding with reports that US President Donald Trump had authorized strikes on several sites inside the country, including military installations, US officials told CBS News. The developments represent a significant escalation in Washington’s ongoing pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Journalists from AFP and the Associated Press confirmed the detonations, noting that explosions were first heard around 2 a.m. local time (0600 GMT). An AP reporter described at least seven distinct blasts, accompanied by the sounds of aircraft flying at low altitudes over multiple neighborhoods of the city. Videos circulating on social media, shared by Iran-based Tehran Times and the conflict-monitoring account Clash Report on X, purportedly showed the strikes in action.

In the aftermath of the blasts, Caracas residents rushed into the streets, some staring skyward in shock and confusion. “The whole ground shook. This is horrible. We heard explosions and planes in the distance,” said 21-year-old office worker Carmen Hidalgo, speaking to AP. She had been leaving a birthday party with two relatives when the explosions occurred. “We felt like the air itself was hitting us.”

#BREAKING
Media reports multiple explosions heard in Venezuelan capital pic.twitter.com/SxNbdHqJPp

— Tehran Times (@TehranTimes79) January 3, 2026

Wide angle footage shows U.S. airstrikes in Caracas, Venezuela. pic.twitter.com/JnlImZTaeP

— Clash Report (@clashreport) January 3, 2026

The nature and origin of the explosions remain unclear, though they come amid sharply heightened tensions between the United States and Venezuela. In recent days, the Trump administration deployed a US Navy task force to the Caribbean and publicly hinted at potential ground operations against Venezuela.

US officials have stated that American forces have been conducting counter-narcotics operations in the region, targeting alleged drug-smuggling vessels. It is not yet confirmed whether Saturday’s explosions in Caracas were connected to these efforts or involved other military activity. On Monday, Trump claimed that US forces had struck and destroyed a docking facility used by purported Venezuelan drug-smuggling operations. The president did not specify whether the strike was executed by the military or the CIA, nor did he disclose the precise location, saying only that it occurred “along the shore.” If verified, this would mark the first known US strike on Venezuelan territory.

President Maduro has not directly confirmed or denied the reported airstrikes. However, he recently indicated a willingness to cooperate with Washington following weeks of mounting US pressure. The Trump administration has accused Maduro of running a drug cartel and reiterated its commitment to curbing narcotics trafficking. Maduro has consistently denied any involvement in the drug trade, asserting that US actions are intended to destabilize his government, motivated by Venezuela’s status as holder of the world’s largest proven oil reserves.

In the past weeks, the United States has intensified measures against Venezuela, including informal airspace restrictions, additional sanctions, and orders to seize tankers carrying Venezuelan crude.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro described the reported strikes as an attack on Venezuela, claiming that missiles were being used against the capital. “Right now they are bombing Caracas. Alert to the whole world, they have attacked Venezuela. They are bombing with missiles. The OAS and the UN must convene immediately,” Petro wrote on X, urging urgent international attention.