A column of smoke was visible and loud noises were heard across parts of Caracas early Saturday, raising alarm in the Venezuelan capital. Witnesses reported seeing aircraft overhead as power outages affected southern areas of the city near a major military base.
The exact cause and locations of the disturbances were not immediately confirmed. Videos circulating on social media appeared to show multiple explosions in different parts of Caracas, though their authenticity could not be independently verified.
The developments come amid heightened tensions involving the United States and Venezuela. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly spoken about possible action against Venezuela and has publicly suggested that President Nicolas Maduro should step aside. However, U.S. officials have not provided details linking the latest incident directly to any confirmed operation.
A column of smoke was visible and loud noises were heard The Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In recent weeks, the U.S. has significantly increased its military presence in the region, deploying naval vessels, an aircraft carrier, and fighter jets in the Caribbean.
Washington has also announced a blockade on Venezuelan oil exports and expanded sanctions, while carrying out multiple strikes on vessels it claims were involved in drug trafficking. Last week, Trump acknowledged that the U.S. had carried out strikes on areas in Venezuela where boats were allegedly loaded with drugs, marking a rare admission of land-based action.
The Venezuelan government has consistently denied involvement in drug trafficking and has condemned U.S. actions, while several countries have criticised the strikes as unlawful. Authorities in Caracas had not issued an official statement on the latest incident at the time of reporting.
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