US Launches Military Operation in Venezuela

The United States has reportedly launched a military operation in Venezuela, according to local media. Early on Saturday morning in Caracas, eyewitnesses reported the presence of aircraft, loud explosions, and rising columns of smoke, Reuters reported.

Residents also said that in the southern part of the city, near a major military base, power outages were occurring.

So far, Venezuelan authorities have not issued any statements clarifying the nature or cause of the incidents.

The reports have drawn attention in light of previous statements by US President Donald Trump, who had repeatedly suggested the possibility of a ground operation in Venezuela to pressure President Nicolás Maduro to step down.

According to Washington, the US strategy included expanding sanctions, increasing military presence in the region, and carrying out more than two dozen strikes on vessels allegedly linked to drug trafficking in the Pacific and Caribbean seas.