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Several explosions were heard around 2 a.m. local time in Venezuela’s capital city of Caracas, witnesses said, and photos and videos showed plumes of smoke and a large fireball in the night sky.
This comes amid rising tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela including a build-up of U.S. military forces in the Caribbean and the targeting of alleged drug-smuggling boats.
Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration has issued an alert prohibiting U.S. civil aircraft from flying over Venezuela “due to safety-of-flight risks associated with ongoing military activity,” according to the FAA.
There was no immediate confirmation from U.S. officials regarding any U.S. action.
Picture of fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military complex, after a series of explosions in Caracas on January 3, 2026. Loud explosions, accompanied by sounds resembling aircraft flyovers, were heard in Caracas around 2:00 am (0600 GMT) on January 3, an AFP journalist reported. The explosions come as US President Donald Trump, who has deployed a navy task force to the Caribbean, raised the possibility of ground strikes against Venezuela.
Luis Jaimes/AFP via Getty Images
The Venezuelan government issued a statement condemning what it called “the grave military aggression perpetrated by the current government of the United States of America” in Caracas and the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira.
In addition, President Nicolas Maduro ordered the implementation of national defense plans, and declared a “state of External Disturbance throughout the national territory,” according to the statement.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
