Media: US Chinook Helicopters Seen In Caracas Blasts

3.01.2026, 10:35
5,814

The US has probably launched a military operation in Venezuela.

Residents of Venezuela's capital woke up to loud explosions. U.S. Chinook helicopters reportedly struck local refineries.

Residents in Caracas report loud explosions, low-flying planes and an air alert on January 3, 2026. The first explosions were heard around 2 a.m. local time. Focus has compiled what is known. Videos circulating on social media show flashes and columns of smoke in several locations in Venezuela's capital, and the explosions were so strong they shook windows and caused brief power outages in areas such as the 23rd district of Enero and near La Carlota airbase.

Caracas a las 2 de la Mañana #Caracas #venezuela pic.twitter.com/jh8URRlIvy
- David (@anthonyseijas2) January 3, 2026

Footage showing a series of US airstrikes on Caracas https://t.co/r8FW1q3Kd1 pic.twitter.com/OQOQws7peQ
- AMK Mapping 🇳🇿 (@AMK_Mapping_) January 3, 2026

bombardeo en Caracas, Venezuela Cae Nicolás Maduro, sígueme para estar más informado. #caracas #venezuela #maduro pic.twitter.com/UCfnAejbI5
- Sebas 🦇 (@juniorhhjr) January 3, 2026

The targets could be military installations such as La Carlota or near the Miraflores Palace, with explosions seen in at least six locations. No official confirmation has been made by Venezuelan authorities, U.S. sources or major news outlets. The incident came amid escalating tensions after Trump declared a blockade and recognized the Maduro regime as a foreign terrorist organization.

Witnesses said the southern district of the city, near a major military base, was de-energized. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly promised ground operations in Venezuela amid attempts to force President Nicolas Maduro from office, including expanded sanctions, an increased U.S. military presence in the region and more than two dozen strikes on ships allegedly involved in drug trafficking in the Pacific and Caribbean. The US president has not officially announced the start of the military operation.

Unconfirmed reports say US paratroopers are landing in Caracas. Locals report at least seven explosions and heard rumblings from warplanes in the sky after the blasts.

The US Air Force is also reported to have struck Isla Margarita, Venezuela's largest island in the southern Caribbean Sea.