Explosions rocks the Venezuelan capital with intense flight of aircraft
The Venezuelan capital Caracas witnessed several explosions on Saturday, coinciding with the low flight of warplanes.
According to the Associated Press, witnesses said at least seven explosions had occurred in Caracas by 2:00 am local time (06:00 GMT).
Witnesses added that a large number of residents of the capital came out of their homes and took to the streets after hearing the explosions, amid a state of tension and panic.
In the same context, the camera lenses detected the low flight of warplanes in different parts of Caracas.
There has been no official statement from the Venezuelan government explaining the circumstances of what happened.
This comes at a time of heightened tensions between the United States and Venezuela, with US President Donald Trump in August issuing an executive order to increase the use of the military in the name of “fighting drug cartels” in Latin America.
In this context, Washington announced the dispatch of warships and submarines off the coast of Venezuela, while the US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said that the army is ready for operations, including regime change in Venezuela.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said the capital Caracas was now being bombarded with missiles, following explosions in the early hours of Saturday.
Maduro, in his first comment on the strikes, said it was necessary for the United Nations to meet immediately to discuss the situation.
According to the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry, Maduro issued a decision to activate national defense plans on all Venezuelan territory, and to declare a state of emergency in the country.
US officials have previously confirmed that the US administration is aware of strikes in Venezuela, which is likely to be US bombing.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Iván Eduardo Gil Pinto strongly condemned the serious military aggression that the United States has openly launched, accusing the US of targeting residential neighborhoods and infrastructure.
He said the US strikes targeted civilian and military sites and hit the center of the capital, Caracas.
Pinto announced that Venezuela will file complaints before the Security Council and regional and international organizations to counter the aggression, pointing out that the goal of the US attack is to seize Venezuela’s strategic wealth.
He considered that any attempt to change the ruling regime in our country will fail, as all previous attempts have failed.
The US military’s attacks on boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, allegedly smuggling drugs and directly targeting people on board, have sparked a debate about extrajudicial killings in the international community.
In related context, Colombian President Gustavo Petro confirmed on Saturday morning that the unified command center in the border city of Cúcuta with Venezuela has been activated and the operational plan has been activated, referring to the preparation of Caribbean countries to confront the aggression.
“Caracas is being bombed now,” Petro said, adding: “Let the world beware… Venezuela is under attack!”
The Colombian president added on X: “They are bombing it with missiles,” noting that “the Organization of American States and the United Nations must meet immediately”.
