The United States carried out large-scale military strikes in Venezuela early Saturday, hitting multiple sites including military installations in and around Caracas, according to U.S. officials and eyewitnesses who reported explosions and low-flying aircraft.
In a Truth Social post, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been captured and flown out of Venezuela as part of the operation.
Trump said the action was conducted in conjunction with U.S. law enforcement and promised further details at a scheduled news conference.
The announcement followed reports of at least seven explosions around 2 a.m. local time in the Venezuelan capital, with smoke rising from military zones including La Carlota airfield. Venezuelan authorities declared a state of emergency, condemning the strikes as a foreign aggression and calling for national mobilisation.
Vice President Delcy Rodríguez later stated that the whereabouts of Maduro and Flores were unknown and demanded proof of life from the United States, reflecting deep confusion in Caracas hours after the attack.
International reactions poured in, with several countries condemning the strikes as a breach of Venezuela’s sovereignty and calls mounting for urgent United Nations action.
