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Reports circulated of several blasts and the noise of low-flying aircraft in the Venezuelan capital in the pre-dawn hours of Saturday. This situation has prompted accusations from the Venezuelan government and requests for diplomatic scrutiny.

Caracas Blames US of Attack

Venezuela's authoritarian government has blamed the Washington of committing "foreign aggression," stating that ex- President Donald Trump reportedly authorized attacks against the Latin American country. In an public declaration, the authorities stated that attacks had hit Caracas and several other regions: Miranda, La Guaira state, and Aragua state.

"Our only objective of this aggression is to gain control of Venezuela's natural resources, especially its petroleum and resources," the government declared.

The government called on the world to condemn the actions, which it termed a "flagrant violation of international norms" that placed millions of lives at risk in jeopardy.

Reports of Blasts and Defense Bases Hit

Residents spoke of experiencing approximately multiple explosions around the middle of the night local time. People in various districts allegedly rushed into the streets outside.

"The earth trembled. It was terrifying. We experienced blasts and jets in the distance," stated one witness.

Plumes of smoke was observed billowing from two defense sites in the city: the La Carlota air base and the Fuerte Tiuna base army base, where president Nicolás Maduro is reported to reside.

Regional Reaction

The leader of neighboring Colombia, Gustavo Petro, claimed on social media that "Currently they are striking Venezuela... attacking it with rockets." He requested an urgent emergency session of the Security Council.

Colombia, which recently joined the Security Council, announced it would activate defense plans at its border with Venezuela.

Preceding Events

The reported strikes are preceded by a prolonged campaign of pressure by the Trump administration against the Venezuelan administration. Since August, there has been a substantial American military deployment off the country's northern coast and a number of strikes on boats linked to drug trafficking.

The administration has announced "a state of external threat" and ordered all national defence protocols to be initiated. It has also called on its supporters to take to the streets and "denounce this foreign attack."

US authorities and the Defense Department have not publicly responded to inquiries for comment regarding the events.