US strikes on Venezuela highlights: Maduro in New York jail; North Korea calls US's Venezuela action ‘high-handed’

Venezuela-US conflict LIVE: This comes amid Venezuela’s tensions with United States as Donald Trump-led administration takes actions against the government of President Nicolas Maduro, including the seizure of oil tankers and at least one airstrike on land earlier.

Trump has repeatedly spoken about possible land operations in Venezuela as part of efforts to push Maduro to step down, including through tougher sanctions.

Meanwhile, Nicolas Maduro has strongly rejected any links to criminal activity and has said the United States is trying to remove him from power to gain access to Venezuela’s large oil reserves and rare earth mineral resources.

Venezuela-US conflict LIVE: Senator Brian Schatz, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Democratic Party leader, reacted to the explosions in Venezuela in what was one of the first reactions from US lawmakers.

He said that the US has “no vital national interests in Venezuela to justify war”.

“We should have learned not to stumble into another stupid adventure by now. And he’s not even bothering to tell the American public what the h*ll is going on,” he added.

Venezuela-US conflict LIVE: The presidents of Colombia and Cuba have expressed concern and criticism over the developments unfolding in Venezuela.

“The Colombian Government rejects any unilateral military action that could aggravate the situation or put the civilian population at risk,” Gustavo Petro wrote on X.

Cuba's Miguel Diaz-Canel criticised what he described as a “criminal” attack by the US on Venezuela in a post on X.

“Cuba denounces and urgently demands the reaction of the international community against the criminal attack by the US on Venezuela. Our zone of peace is being brutally assaulted.”

Venezuela-US conflict LIVE: Venezuela’s government said it had rejected what it described as “military aggression by the United States”.

“The goal of the US attack is to take possession of Venezuelan oil and minerals,” the government said, calling for the ‘mobilisation’ of the population after the strikes.

Venezuela-US conflict LIVE: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a warning known as a “Notice to Airmen” shortly after 1 am on the east coast of the United States.

It advised all US commercial and private pilots that the airspace over Venezuela and the nearby island nation of Curaçao, located just north of Venezuela’s coast, was closed “due to safety-of-flight risks associated with ongoing military activity.”

Such notices are issued to warn pilots about different types of potential hazards.

Venezuela-US conflict LIVE: Venezuela’s government, in the statement, called on its supporters to take to the streets.

“People to the streets!” the statement said. “The Bolivarian Government calls on all social and political forces in the country to activate mobilization plans and repudiate this imperialist attack.”

The statement added that President Nicolás Maduro had “ordered all national defense plans to be implemented” and declared “a state of external disturbance.”

Venezuela-US conflict LIVE: The United States military carried out a number of strikes targeting Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, on Saturday, according to reports in US media.

Neither the White House nor the Pentagon has issued a response to the explosions or to reports of aircraft seen over the city.

However, US outlets CBS News and Fox News cited unnamed officials from the Trump administration as confirming that American forces were involved.

Venezuela-US conflict LIVE: Several blasts were reported in the capital, Caracas, and in other locations early on Saturday. According to a government statement, strikes were also reported in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro declared a national emergency and order the mobilisation of defence forces shortly after the strikes.

Venezuela-US conflict LIVE: Venezuela’s government, in the statement, called on its supporters to take to the streets after multiple explosions hit the Venezuelan capital and other areas on Saturday.

“People to the streets!” Associated Press quoted the statement. “The Bolivarian Government calls on all social and political forces in the country to activate mobilization plans and repudiate this imperialist attack.”

The statement added that President Nicolás Maduro had “ordered all national defense plans to be implemented” and declared “a state of external disturbance.”

There was no word from Pentagon on the allegations of explosions in Venezuela being US airstrikes.

Venezuela-US tensions LIVE updates: Unites States' Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has banned US commercial flights in Venezuela airspace over "ongoing military activity" ahead of explosions in Caracas, reported Associated Press news agency.

There is still no word from the US on explosions in Venezuela which the Venezuelan government has described as US strikes.

Venezuela-US tensions LIVE updates: Screams and rising smoke were captured in videos of explosions that hit Venezuela capital Caracas in the early hours of Saturday, a development that comes amid country's tensions with the United States where President Donald Trump recently warned of ground strikes over drug trafficking.

Loud explosions were accompanied by sounds resembling aircraft flyovers, were heard in Caracas around 2 am (0600 GMT) Saturday, an AFP news agency report mentioned, citing its journalist.

Unconfirmed visuals surfaced on social media, purportedly capturing the moment the explosions struck Venezuela capital. One such video claimed to have captured large explosions at Higuerote Airport, about 87 km (54 mi) east of Caracas. See full report here

Venezuela-US tensions LIVE updates: Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has declares state of emergency after explosions in Caracas and other states that the Venezuelan government described US ‘attack’.

Venezuela-US tensions LIVE updates: Venezuela rejects "military aggression" by the United States, the government of President Nicolas Maduro said in a statement early Saturday shortly after explosions rocked capital Caracas and other areas.

Attacks took place in the capital of Caracas as well as the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, the statement said, prompting Maduro to declare a national emergency and call on social and political forces to "activate mobilization plans."

via Reuters

Multiple explosions and what were described as sounds of low-flying aircraft were heard in the early hours of Saturday in Venezuelan capital Caracas.

While confirmation of the explosions being US airstrikes was awaited, a CBS reporter said on X President Trump had ordered strikes on sites inside Venezuela, including military facilities.