US Launches Military Strikes Against Venezuela Amid Rising Tensions — All You Need To Know
The Venezuelan government said that attacks also took place in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira.
The United States has reportedly carried out military strikes inside Venezuela. Explosions shook the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, following months of threats by US President Donald Trump against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
The Venezuelan government said that attacks also took place in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, prompting Maduro to declare a national emergency and mobilise defence forces. Blasts, aircraft and black smoke were reported across Caracas from around 2 a.m. (11.30 a.m. IST) on Jan. 3 for around 90 minutes, Reuters reported.
As per reports, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an order prohibiting American planes from flying in Venezuelan airspace. The FAA released a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) banning American aircraft from operating at all altitudes within Venezuela.
Political And Drug-Related Tensions
Trump has repeatedly threatened a land operation in Venezuela, which Maduro has been ruling since 2013. The US, Venezuela’s opposition and other countries have accused Maduro of rigging last year’s election to remain in power. While Trump has not publicly outlined his objectives, he has privately urged Maduro to leave the country, Reuters reported.
The US administration has long accused Venezuela of flooding the United States with drugs and has conducted strikes on boats allegedly carrying narcotics from South America. Maduro’s government denies involvement in drug trafficking, while international observers and other nations have criticised the US strikes as extrajudicial actions.
Military Build-Up And Recent Strikes
The strikes follow months of US military mobilisation in the region, including the positioning of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier and multiple other warships in the Caribbean, CBS News reported.
In recent weeks, the US has seized two Venezuelan oil tankers, launched deadly strikes on more than 30 vessels accused of transporting drugs, and targeted what Trump described as “the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs.”
The Trump administration has labelled Maduro a drug trafficker collaborating with gangs classified as terrorist organisations, charges that Maduro denies. On Christmas Eve, Trump warned that if Maduro “plays tough, it'll be the last time he'll ever be able to play tough.”
Venezuela Responds
Maduro has stated he is willing to discuss drug trafficking, oil and migration issues with the US “wherever they want to, whenever they want.” But the Venezuelan government accused the US of attempting to seize the nation’s oil and mineral resources, asserting that it “will not succeed” in taking them, the Reuters report added.
The Trump administration has taken several measures in recent months against the Maduro government, including a “blockade” of Venezuelan oil and expanded sanctions. The US government has also carried out over two dozen strikes on vessels alleged to be involved in drug trafficking in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea.
