Blasts and Low-Altitude Jets Reported in Venezuela's Capital Caracas City
Witness testimonies emerged of numerous blasts and the noise of low-flying aircraft in Caracas in the pre-dawn hours of Saturday morning. This event has led to claims from the Venezuelan authorities and requests for global scrutiny.
Venezuela Condemns Washington of Aggression
Venezuela's incumbent regime has blamed the Washington of committing "imperialist aggression," stating that former President Trump supposedly ordered military strikes against the South American state. In an official statement, the authorities asserted that strikes had impacted Caracas and several other regions: Miranda, La Guaira state, and Aragua state.
"The sole aim of these strikes is to take control of our nation's natural resources, in particular its crude oil and resources," Venezuela said.
Caracas urged the international community to denounce the operations, which it labeled a "blatant breach of international norms" that endangered millions of lives at risk in peril.
Accounts of Blasts and Defense Sites Targeted
Locals reported feeling at least several powerful blasts around 2 a.m. in the morning. People in several districts allegedly ran into the streets.
"The whole ground shook. This is horrible. We experienced blasts and jets in the area," stated one local.
Black smoke was observed pouring from key defense sites in Caracas: the La Carlota airbase military airfield and the Fuerte Tiuna base army base, where leader Maduro is believed to reside.
International Reaction
The president of bordering Colombia, claimed on a social platform that "Right now they are bombing Caracas... attacking it with missiles." He called for an immediate emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.
Colombia, which just became a member of the Security Council, stated it would activate operational plans at its shared border with its neighbor.
Background
These reported strikes follow a months-long campaign of pressure by the United States against the Maduro regime. Since last summer, authorities reported a significant American military deployment off Venezuela's northern coast and a series of air strikes on ships accused of narco-trafficking.
Venezuela's administration has announced "the implementation of external disturbance" and ordered all defense plans to be implemented. It has also called on its political forces to take to the streets and "repudiate this external aggression."
American officials and the US Department of Defense have not immediately commented on inquiries for a statement regarding the events.
