🔗 Share this article Explosions and Low-Flying Aircraft Heard in Venezuelan Capital City Caracas Witness testimonies circulated of numerous blasts and the noise of low-flying aircraft in the Venezuelan capital in the early hours of Saturday morning. The incident has sparked claims from Venezuela's government and requests for diplomatic scrutiny. Caracas Condemns United States of Attack The incumbent regime has condemned the Washington of an act of "imperialist aggression," stating that former President Trump allegedly ordered strikes against the South American country. In an official statement, the authorities stated that strikes had targeted the capital and three other regions: Miranda state, La Guaira state, and Aragua. "Our sole aim of this attack is to take control of Venezuela's key assets, especially its petroleum and minerals," the statement said. Venezuelan officials urged the global community to denounce the actions, which it termed a "flagrant violation of international law" that endangered numerous of lives in jeopardy. Accounts of Blasts and Military Installations Hit Eyewitnesses described hearing at least seven powerful blasts around 2:00 AM local time. Citizens in different districts reportedly ran into the streets outside. "The whole ground shook. It was horrible. We experienced explosions and planes in the sky," stated one local. Plumes of smoke was reported billowing from key defense sites in the city: the La Carlota air base and the Fuerte Tiuna base compound, where president Nicolás Maduro is thought to live. Global Response The president of neighboring Colombia, Gustavo Petro, claimed on social media that "Currently they are attacking Venezuela... attacking it with rockets." He requested an immediate meeting of the Security Council. The Colombian government, which recently became a member of the Security Council, stated it would initiate operational protocols at its border with Venezuela. Context The alleged attacks follow a extended pressure campaign by the US against the Venezuelan government. Since August, there has been a major US military presence off Venezuela's northern coast and a number of strikes on vessels linked to drug trafficking. The administration has announced "a state of external disturbance" and ordered all national defence protocols to be initiated. It has also called on its citizens to protest and "reject this external act." The White House and the US Department of Defense have not promptly responded to requests for clarification regarding the allegations.