Reports of aircraft activity and explosions in Caracas, Venezuela, early Saturday morning preceded an announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump claiming the United States had conducted large-scale strikes against Venezuela and captured its President, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife. Concurrently, the Venezuelan government accused the United States of initiating attacks on its installations. Unnamed U.S. officials reportedly confirmed that President Trump had ordered military strikes within Venezuela.
Incidents Reported in Caracas
Around 2:00 AM local time on Saturday, multiple reports emerged from Venezuela's capital city of Caracas. Residents and a reporter, Ana Vanessa Herrero, described hearing aircraft activity, specifically low-flying aircraft, and at least seven explosions. Following these incidents, smoke was observed rising from La Carlota airport. Photos and videos circulating online depicted plumes of smoke and a large fireball in the night sky over the city.
Venezuelan Government's Response
The Venezuelan government released a statement accusing the United States of initiating attacks. The statement claimed these alleged attacks targeted both civilian and military installations across various states within the country. The Venezuelan government asserted that the motivation behind these actions was to gain control of Venezuela's oil and mineral resources.
U.S. President Trump's Announcements
Shortly before 4:30 AM Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced via his social media platform, Truth Social, that the United States had "successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela." He further stated that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife had been "captured and flown out of the Country."
President Trump's post detailed the operation, indicating it was "done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement." He also announced plans to hold a news conference at 11:00 AM today at Mar-a-Lago to provide additional details. A photograph posted by President Trump on social media purportedly depicted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in U.S. custody, dated Jan. 3, 2026. In a subsequent brief phone interview with The New York Times, President Trump commented on the mission to capture Maduro.
U.S. Official Confirmation
Unnamed U.S. officials reportedly informed CBS News that President Donald Trump had indeed ordered military strikes on locations inside Venezuela.