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Loud blasts, accompanied by noises reminiscent of aircraft overhead, were reported in Caracas around 2:00 am (0600 GMT) on Saturday, according to reports.
These explosions follow US President Donald Trump’s deployment of a naval task force to the Caribbean and his suggestion of potential ground attacks against Venezuela.
Trump said on Monday that the United States had attacked and destroyed a docking facility used for supposed Venezuelan drug boats. The Republican president did not clarify whether military forces or the CIA conducted the operation, nor did he specify the location of the strike, mentioning only that it was “along the shore.”
This would mark the first confirmed land strike on Venezuelan territory.
President Nicolas Maduro has neither confirmed nor denied the strike on Monday, but on Thursday indicated he was willing to cooperate with Washington after weeks of US military pressure.
The Trump administration has accused Maduro of leading a drug cartel. It claims it is intensifying its efforts against trafficking. Yet, the leftist leader denies any connection to the drug trade, asserting that Washington’s goal is to instigate his overthrow due to Venezuela’s vast oil reserves.
Washington has increased its pressure on Caracas by unofficially closing Venezuela’s airspace, imposing additional sanctions, and ordering the seizure of tankers carrying Venezuelan oil.
For weeks, Trump has warned of impending ground attacks on drug cartels in the region, suggesting they would commence “soon,” with Monday being the first evident instance.
US forces have also conducted multiple attacks on boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean since September, targeting what Washington describes as drug smugglers.
However, the administration has not provided proof that the boats attacked were participating in drug trafficking, leading to discussions about the legality of these actions.
The lethal maritime campaign has resulted in the deaths of at least 107 individuals across at least 30 strikes, according to data released by the US military.
