US launches military assault on Venezuela, President Nicolás Maduro and wife reportedly captured

Caracas, Venezuela: In a development, the United States has reportedly conducted a large-scale military operation on the Venezuelan capital, Caracas. US President Donald Trump claimed on Saturday that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores have been captured and removed from the country.

Posting on his X account, Trump wrote, “The United States has successfully conducted a major operation against Venezuela and its President Nicolás Maduro, capturing him along with his wife and sending them out of the country.” He also announced a press briefing from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida at 11:00 AM (Indian time: 9:30 PM) on Saturday.

The attack comes shortly after Maduro declared a state of emergency in Caracas, describing the situation as a response to what he called an “extremely serious military assault” by the United States. International news agencies reported a series of explosions across the city, accompanied by sounds resembling low-flying aircraft.

“The government of Venezuela condemns this most serious military aggression by the United States against Venezuelan territory and its people,” Maduro stated. According to local reports, the military strike began around 2:00 AM local time, with at least seven explosions reported in different areas of the capital.

No official statement has been issued by the White House regarding the operation. Meanwhile, due to ongoing military activity and explosions in Caracas, the Federal Aviation Administration has issued a temporary flight ban for US commercial aircraft in Venezuelan airspace.

The attack follows recent allegations of drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean, prompting the US military to deploy aircraft and warships to the region. On Monday, the US claimed to have struck docking areas used by Venezuelan drug-smuggling vessels, marking its first ground action under this operation.

In recent interviews, President Maduro accused the US of attempting to forcibly change the government in Venezuela to control oil reserves. Trump had earlier warned of imminent action against Venezuela, including seizing Venezuelan oil tankers, in a move aimed at tightening economic control over the South American nation.

International attention is now focused on Caracas as the situation continues to unfold, raising concerns about further escalation in the region.