Venezuela: On January 3, 2026, at least seven loud explosions and the noise of low-flying planes awakened the Caracas residents and caused panic and confusion in different areas throughout the city. Many claimed that the explosions had been accompanied by bright flashes and even seismic waves, while the smoke went up over the city. The incidents started at around 2 local time and power was cut in some southern neighborhoods nearby military bases that included La Carlota Air Base. The people in the areas affected were terrified and so they ran out of their homes, not knowing the explosions were either for good or for evil.
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The Venezuelan authorities weren’t going to take this lying down and very quickly the US was pointed at as responsible for this military aggression, saying that the blasts and the aerial activity were direct attacks on both civilian and military locations throughout Caracas and other states. The Nicolas Maduro government announced a ‘state of external disturbance’, which allowed the military to be more active and civilians to be controlled more easily. According to the city officials, the reason for the attacks was the US government’s desire to monopolize Venezuela’s immense oil and minerals resources, a claim that they linked to the already strained relations with the Washington.
At first US officials, including the White House and Pentagon, declined to give any immediate comments when they were approached for clarification regarding the explosions. The lack of an official US statement has made it impossible for independent reporting to verify the exact nature and source of the detonations, although there are already videos and eyewitness accounts on social media which are showing chaotic situations. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has responded to the turmoil by issuing a No Aircraft Operation Notice (NOTAM) covering Venezuelan airspace, claiming safety risks caused by the military activity that is still going on as the reason.
The alleged shelling that is being reported comes when the two countries are already at a point in terms of their relationship that is more than just strained. The US military has been targeting drug smuggling ships in the adjacent waters, which has been described as a broader campaign by US leaders that includes narcotics trafficking control and that the strikes have been justified through the catch and kill policy. The Venezuelan government has denounced the strikes as violations of its sovereignty and pretexts for deeper interference. Venezuelan authorities have accused the US troops of trying to change the regime by putting more pressure on Maduro’s government.
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Analysts observe that the geopolitical importance of Venezuela, mainly due to its oil reserves and power networks with certain countries, has made it a target of disputes with Washington for a long time. The Maduro administration, in partnership with opposing nations like Iran, has never failed to alert American forces in the region as a major risk to national safety. The international community has reacted in different ways the leaders of the neighboring countries, for instance, Colombian President Gustavo Petro, have even called out for immediate worldwide attention that should include a session of the United Nations Security Council due to the reports of explosions and military planes in the early morning hours.
As things stand with the latest information, the total damage caused by the blasts and the responsibility, in fact, is still not clear and has not been officially confirmed. The American government did not give any indication that it was involved in strikes on Venezuelan territory, meanwhile, the authorities in Venezuela not having published comprehensive information correlating the events directly with US military operations.
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