Explosions have been reported near Caracas, Venezuela, amid rising tensions with the United States.
According to a statement on Saturday, January 3, 2026, air raid sirens sounded throughout the capital after a series of blasts were observed in multiple locations.
“Air raid sirens sounded, and aircraft were reportedly heard over the Venezuelan capital of Caracas. Smoke and fire were seen near Fort Tiuna in the southern suburbs, with secondary explosions suggesting strikes against military infrastructure, including La Carlota Air Base and a surface-to-air missile launcher at the Venezuelan Air Force site. Fires were also reported at Higuerote Airport in the State of Miranda.”
As a result, large sections of southern Caracas reportedly lost power, and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) prohibiting all flights over Venezuela starting at 6:00 a.m. on January 3.
Regional and International Reactions
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has called for immediate action by international bodies in response to the strikes.
“Right now, they are bombing Caracas. Alert the whole world, the OAS and the UN must meet immediately,” Petro said.
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Meanwhile, amid weeks of escalating pressure, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro signaled willingness for dialogue with the United States over drug trafficking and oil disputes.
“I am ready for dialogue with the U.S., wherever they want and whenever they want,” said Maduro.
History on War Between the U.S And Venezuela
The tension between the US and Venezuela started during the presidency of Hugo Chávez.
The Disputes over oil, the imposition of U.S. sanctions, and the increasingly authoritarian nature of Venezuela’s political leadership have contributed to the deterioration.
He frequently accused the United States of pursuing imperial ambitions in Latin America and of interfering in Venezuela’s internal affairs.
Chávez also strengthened Venezuela’s ties with U.S. adversaries, which worsened during Nicolás Maduro’s presidency as Venezuela slipped into a prolonged political and economic crisis marked by hyperinflation, collapsing oil production, mass emigration, and widespread human rights abuses.
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Trump has repeatedly accused Maduro and senior officials in his government of playing central roles in large-scale drug-trafficking operations, broadening his approach by designating both the Cartel de los Soles and the Venezuelan criminal organization Tren de Aragua as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs).
In August 2025, he reportedly signed a secret directive permitting the Pentagon to use military force against specific Latin American drug-trafficking groups and also raised a U.S. bounty on Maduro to 50 million dollar asserting Maduro’s direct role in narcotics smuggling.
In early September, U.S. forces carried out a series of lethal maritime strikes against boats that were allegedly being used by drug-trafficking groups to move illicit drugs toward the United States, resulting in at least 95 deaths.
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