People in Venezuela’s capital woke up to fear and confusion early Saturday after loud explosions shook parts of Caracas and fires were seen in several areas of the city.
Around 2:00 a.m. local time, residents reported hearing powerful blasts along with sounds that many said felt like aircraft flying overhead. Videos shared online showed buildings burning and thick smoke rising into the night sky. Some reports also claimed a very strong explosion was heard near Higuerote Airport in Miranda state, north of Caracas. Authorities have not yet confirmed exactly what caused the explosions or where all of them happened.
The situation quickly drew international attention. Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro said Venezuela had come under attack. In a post on X, he claimed that missiles were being used to bomb Caracas and urged the United Nations to hold an emergency meeting. He did not say who he believed was behind the strikes.
The administration of US President Donald Trump said it was “aware of reports” about explosions and aircraft activity over Caracas, but did not immediately give further details.
Tensions between Washington and Caracas have been rising for weeks. Trump recently sent a US navy task force to the Caribbean and has openly warned about taking strong action against drug cartels operating in the region. Earlier this week, he said the US military had destroyed a docking area used by boats allegedly involved in drug trafficking from Venezuela. This was widely seen as the first land-based strike in a broader campaign against narcotics networks in Latin America.
Since September, US forces have also carried out several operations at sea, targeting boats in both the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific that Washington says were used by drug smugglers.
Trump has repeatedly accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of leading a drug cartel and claims his actions are meant to stop illegal trafficking. Maduro has strongly denied these accusations, saying the United States is trying to remove him from power because Venezuela holds the world’s largest known oil reserves.
As questions remain unanswered and tensions stay high, people in Caracas and across the region are waiting for clarity on what exactly happened during a night that brought fear, fire, and uncertainty to Venezuela’s capital.
