Overview
- President Donald Trump said U.S. forces executed a large-scale operation and removed Nicolás Maduro and his wife from Venezuela, with a press briefing set for 11 a.m. ET in Mar-a-Lago.
- Residents and reporters described multiple explosions, low-flying aircraft and power outages in Caracas and nearby states including Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira.
- Targets reported by local media and officials included Fuerte Tiuna and the La Carlota air base, while casualty figures and the full extent of damage remained unclear.
- Venezuelan authorities declared a state of ‘Conmoción Exterior,’ ordered national defense deployments and alleged U.S. helicopter-fired missiles struck civilian areas; Vice President Delcy Rodríguez demanded proof of life for Maduro and Cilia Flores.
- The FAA barred U.S. commercial flights from Venezuelan airspace due to ongoing military activity, as international reaction split with condemnations from Russia, Iran and Colombia’s leadership and public support from Argentina’s President Javier Milei, with Spain offering to mediate.