Overview
- At least seven explosions were reported in Caracas in the early hours of Jan. 3, with sounds of low-flying aircraft and localized power outages near military sites.
- The Venezuelan government condemned what it called a U.S. military attack, and President Nicolás Maduro announced a nationwide state of emergency and urged resistance.
- U.S. media, citing government sources, reported that President Donald Trump ordered strikes on multiple locations including military facilities.
- Trump later said a large-scale operation had been carried out and claimed Maduro was detained and transferred abroad, a statement not independently confirmed in the reporting.
- Japan’s Foreign Ministry advised roughly 160 nationals in Venezuela to consider leaving, stock two to three weeks of supplies, and monitor flight disruptions, with no Japanese casualties confirmed.