The capital of Venezuela was shaken in the early hours of Saturday, January 3, 2026, by massive bursts of explosion sounds and the thunder of low-flying fighter jets. U.S. officials have confirmed that President Donald Trump has called for targeted attacks on Venezuela’s military bases and key infrastructure assets in the country, the first large-scale military engagement on Venezuelan territory in decades.
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These incidents occur against the backdrop of rising tension and a substantial U.S. naval buildup in the Caribbean to resemble a response to alleged state-supported drug trafficking activities.
WATCH: Large explosions at Higuerote Airport, about 87 km (54 mi) east of Caracas pic.twitter.com/TCL7goWlQ3
— BNO News Live (@BNODesk) January 3, 2026
Midnight Strikes In The Capital
Starting roughly around 2:00 AM local time (0600 GMT), there were at least seven massive explosions reported throughout Caracas. This was while people described “the entire earth shaking” due to the noise of aeroplanes flying overhead.
La Carlota Air Base: There was reported to have been smoke rising from the hangar area at this important military base within the city.
Fort Tiuna: There are suggestions that the national main command headquarters was also bombarded.
Power Cuts: Large parts of southern Caracas, where military bases are situated nearby, fell into darkness in the immediate aftermath of the blasts.
Explosions, smoke rising after suspected U.S. airstrikes in Venezuela’s capital. No word yet from the U.S. government pic.twitter.com/Q900vyucKN
— BNO News Live (@BNODesk) January 3, 2026
Strikes Extend to Coastal Hubs
Unconfirmed reports and social media footage of several cities suggest a multi-city coordinated attack beyond the capital.
Higuerote Airport: Dramatic video caught big fireballs at the airport, located 87 km to the east of Caracas.
Port of La Guaira: Witnesses have reported secondary explosions and thick black smoke at one of the country’s most important maritime gateways.
La Guaira & Miranda States: Reports are emerging of sounds of missiles and heavy aircraft activity throughout the night.
Trump Administration Cites ‘Anti-Narcotics’ Mission
President Donald Trump previously warned that ground strikes against drug cartels and the “narco-terrorist” Maduro regime would commence “soon.” U.S. officials say that the strikes targeted facilities used to support trafficking operations.
“The United States is engaged in an armed conflict with drug cartels that threaten our borders,” the administration previously wrote, justifying a campaign that has already seen dozens of maritime strikes on boats in the Caribbean.
ALSO READ | Massive Explosions Heard In Venezuela’s Capital, Caracas, Amid Reports Of Suspected US Airstrikes
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