Loud explosions, accompanied by sounds resembling aircraft flyovers, were heard in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, at around 2am on Saturday (11am PKT), according to an AFP journalist.
The blasts occurred amid escalating tensions with the United States, after President Donald Trump — who has deployed a naval task force to the Caribbean — raised the possibility of ground strikes against Venezuela.
Explosions were reportedly still audible around 2:15am, though their exact source remained unclear.
On Monday, Trump claimed that the United States had struck and destroyed a docking facility allegedly used by Venezuelan drug traffickers. The Republican leader declined to specify whether the operation was carried out by the military or the CIA, or to disclose its precise location, saying only that it took place “along the shore.”
If confirmed, the attack would mark the first known land strike on Venezuelan territory.
President Nicolas Maduro has neither confirmed nor denied the reported strike but said on Thursday that he remained open to cooperation with Washington following weeks of mounting US military pressure.
The Trump administration has accused Maduro of leading a drug cartel and vowed to intensify its crackdown on trafficking. Maduro has strongly rejected the allegations, insisting he has no involvement in the narcotics trade and arguing that Washington’s actions are aimed at toppling his government because Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves.
In recent weeks, Washington has stepped up pressure on Caracas by informally closing Venezuela’s airspace, imposing additional sanctions, and seizing oil tankers carrying Venezuelan crude.
Trump has repeatedly threatened ground strikes against drug cartels in the region, saying such operations would begin “soon,” with Monday’s reported strike appearing to be the first example. Since September, US forces have also conducted multiple attacks on vessels in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean, targeting what Washington describes as drug-smuggling operations.
However, the US administration has not presented evidence linking the targeted boats to drug trafficking, raising questions about the legality of the campaign. According to information released by the US military, at least 107 people have been killed in 30 maritime strikes.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available. Early reports may be subject to revision as details are confirmed through reliable sources.