US launches strikes on Venezuela: Key details so far
Illustrative photo: US strikes Venezuela on January 3 (Getty Images)
The United States has carried out a series of strikes on Venezuela’s capital, Caracas. Explosions were heard across the city. President Nicolás Maduro has declared martial law in Venezuela.
RBC-Ukraine explains what is currently known about the events unfolding in Venezuela.
Explosions and smoke over Caracas
On the morning of Saturday, January 3, residents of Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, reported a series of explosions, low-flying aircraft, and columns of smoke rising over the city. According to available information, the southern part of Caracas, including an area near a major military base, was left without electricity.
Local residents and media reported hearing at least seven explosions. The Associated Press noted that around 2:00 a.m. local time, low-flying aircraft were observed over Caracas.
Initial consequences
According to local media, the United States struck the Venezuelan parliament building and the residence of Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López. Strikes may also have hit southern districts of Caracas, including Fort Tiuna and the Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda Air Base.
At least ten sites in the Venezuelan capital may have been targeted.
Local reports also mention a strike on the La Guaira naval base in Vargas state, where the naval academy is located. Strikes were recorded at the Port of Caracas and on Margarita Island in the Caribbean Sea, an area that hosts significant military infrastructure.
Trump’s earlier statements on Venezuela
Previously, US President Donald Trump had repeatedly stated his readiness to use force against Venezuela, including the possibility of a ground operation aimed at removing President Nicolás Maduro from power.
Among the pressure tools considered by Washington were expanded sanctions, increased US military presence in the region, and strikes on vessels that, according to US claims, may be involved in illegal drug trafficking in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
US response and media reports
According to CBS News, the United States is aware of reports about explosions and aircraft flying over Caracas. At the same time, the White House declined to comment in response to journalists’ inquiries, while the Venezuelan government initially also refrained from an immediate reaction. The Pentagon stated it currently had no comment on the situation.
CBS News journalists also reported that Trump allegedly ordered strikes on Venezuelan targets, including military sites, though there was no official confirmation from the US at that time.
Later, Fox News cited US officials as saying that American forces were conducting strikes against Venezuela. No official statements have yet been issued by US authorities.
Meanwhile, the United States urged its citizens not to travel to Venezuela.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the White House plans to issue an official statement on Venezuela after US aircraft leave Venezuelan airspace. This suggests the operation may involve limited airstrikes rather than a full-scale ground operation.
Flight restrictions over Venezuela
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) banning all US aircraft from operating at any altitude within Venezuelan airspace.
The notice was issued at 1:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Saturday.
Venezuela’s response and state of emergency
Venezuela has officially declared that it is under military aggression by the United States and has imposed a state of emergency. This was announced by Foreign Minister Yván Gil Pinto.
According to him, both civilian and military facilities in Caracas, as well as in the states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira, were hit. President Nicolás Maduro declared an “external state of emergency,” ordered the deployment of the Comprehensive Defense Command, and activated the national defense plan.
At the same time, media reports that Maduro’s current whereabouts remain unknown.
The Venezuelan foreign minister also stated that the country intends to appeal to the UN Security Council, the UN Secretary-General, and regional organizations, and reserves the right to self-defense.
US–Venezuela conflict
On December 16, US President Donald Trump announced the introduction of a strict blockade on sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuelan waters. Washington aims to cut off key financial flows to Nicolás Maduro’s regime.
In recent weeks, US forces intercepted two oil vessels, while another tanker under pursuit left Venezuelan waters and disappeared into the Atlantic. At the same time, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on ten individuals and companies linked to Iran and Venezuela suspected of illegal arms trading, as well as on several Venezuelan oil companies and tankers.
Additionally, Trump declared Maduro’s government a foreign terrorist organization, accusing it of drug trafficking, and did not rule out the use of US military force against Venezuela. He also announced a strike on facilities in the country—loading docks that may have been used for drug smuggling.
Sources: local media, Reuters, CBS News, and Fox News.
