At around 1:30 a.m. local time on January 3, several explosions occurred in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, with witnesses reporting a suspected U.S. military helicopter formation circling over Caracas.

A U.S. official told CBS News that President Trump had ordered strikes on multiple targets inside Venezuela, including military facilities. This is part of the U.S. government's escalation of its campaign against the Venezuelan government.

According to reports from多家 media outlets such as CNN and Associated Press, at around 1:30 a.m. local time on January 3, several explosions occurred in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, with parts of the city experiencing power outages.

CNN reported that the first explosion occurred around 1:50 a.m. local time (13:50 Beijing time). Video obtained by CNN showed two columns of smoke rising into the night sky under the city lights, with one column having orange flames at its base. Subsequently, a flash appeared at another location, followed by a dull explosion sound. After the explosion, CNN reporters also heard the sound of airplanes flying.

Turkish media reported that the Venezuelan embassy in Turkey confirmed that the explosions in Caracas on the early morning of January 3 were carried out by the United States, marking the first time a Venezuelan official institution has confirmed this incident.

Orange firelight on social media

White House and Pentagon "passing the buck"?

According to a report by The New York Times, a U.S. military spokesperson in Washington admitted to the reports of explosions in Caracas but did not comment on the U.S. role. The Pentagon spokesperson referred all questions about the explosions to the White House, which refused to comment.

However, according to CBS News, a U.S. government source stated that Trump administration officials noted the reports of explosions and aircraft, but the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the Venezuelan government also did not respond immediately.

"The U.S. Air Force almost shut down all flight tracking transponders"

Social media messages indicate that according to real-time flight tracker FlightRadar24, the entire U.S. Air Force almost shut down all flight tracking transponders.

Social media videos show dozens of suspected U.S. helicopters hovering over Caracas.

Social media messages indicate that there were intense explosions near the Francisco de Miranda Air Base in Caracas, as well as explosions near the La Guaira Naval Base and an oil refinery.

Massive explosions in Caracas, Venezuela - Social Media

Local Venezuelan media reported that explosions were also heard in the northern state of La Guaira and the coastal city of Iguarate in the Miranda state of Caracas.

Smoke rises from La Calota Airport in Caracas after the explosion, CNN

Colombian President: OAS and UN Should Meet Immediately

On January 3, Colombian President Petro posted on social media: "(The capital of Venezuela) Caracas is currently being bombed. This sends a warning to the whole world, Venezuela has been attacked. The attackers are launching missiles for bombing. The Organization of American States and the United Nations must hold meetings immediately."

For months, the U.S. has deployed large-scale naval and air forces near Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea under the pretext of combating "drug terrorism," having sunk approximately 30 so-called "drug trafficking ships" in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific, resulting in over 100 deaths. Venezuela has repeatedly accused the U.S. of intending to stage a regime change through military threats and expanding its military presence in Latin America.

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Original: toutiao.com/article/7591044930005713459/

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