Explosions and smoke were reported across Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, at around 2 a.m. local time (6 a.m. GMT) with power outages near a key military base and reports of low-flying aircraft on Saturday.

People in various neighborhoods rushed to the streets. Some could be seen in the distance from various areas of Caracas.

Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro has reported that the South American country has been targeted by missiles. He also declared state of emergency after the incident.

"Caracas has been attacked by missiles, and the world must be aware; Venezuela is under attack. The Organization of American States and the United Nations must convene immediately," Colombian President Gustavo Petro said in a post published on X.

Since August, US Southern Command has deployed warships, submarines, aircraft carriers, F-35 squadrons, and approximately 15,000 personnel to the area

These deployments include Carrier Strike Group Twelve, featuring the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier.

Since September, the US military has carried out more than 30 such strikes, with a reported death toll of at least 115.

Officials in Caracas have condemned the operations as a deliberate display of US hostility aimed at intimidating the region and undermining Venezuela’s sovereignty amid rising geopolitical tensions.

Washington has also claimed, without providing evidence, that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro leads the Cartel de los Soles, which the US designated a terrorist organization last month.

Maduro has said the administration of US President Donald Trump seeks to remove him from power and seize the country’s oil resources.