Overview
- At least seven blasts were reported around 2 a.m. local time, witnesses described low-flying aircraft, and several neighborhoods experienced power outages.
- President Nicolás Maduro announced a nationwide emergency, denounced a “grave military aggression” by the United States, and ordered immediate mobilization.
- Initial accounts pointed to strikes on military sites including Fort Tiuna and the La Carlota airbase and to incidents in La Guaira and Higuerote, though details on damage and casualties remain unverified.
- The Pentagon declined to confirm any role while the FAA barred U.S. aircraft from operating in Venezuelan airspace starting Saturday morning.
- Colombian President Gustavo Petro called for urgent UN and OAS meetings, Russia said international law was violated, and Italy’s foreign minister said Rome is monitoring the safety of its citizens.