Both have reportedly been removed from the country, says Trump

The United States has carried out a major strike on Venezuela, capturing President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, and reportedly flown them out of the country, President Donald Trump announced on Saturday.

Trump described the operation as a “large-scale strike” against Venezuela and its leadership in a post on Truth Social, claiming the successful capture of the president and first lady. If verified, this would mark the first direct US military intervention on Venezuelan soil since the 1989 invasion of Panama to remove Manuel Noriega.

The Venezuelan government, however, did not immediately confirm the report. Caracas authorities accused the US of targeting civilian and military sites, following multiple explosions and low-flying aircraft that disrupted power in several neighborhoods. At least seven explosions were reported around 2 a.m. local time.

Residents described the scene as terrifying. “The whole ground shook. This is horrible. We heard explosions and planes in the distance,” said Carmen Hidalgo, a 21-year-old office worker, recalling the early-morning blasts. Smoke and flashes from the explosions were visible across Caracas, though Venezuelan state television continued regular programming on music and art.

Trump has previously deployed a naval task force to the Caribbean and warned of possible ground strikes against Venezuela. Earlier in the week, he reported the destruction of a docking area used by Venezuelan drug boats, though details of the operation—including whether it was military or CIA-led—were not disclosed.

The US administration has accused Maduro of running a drug cartel and has ramped up pressure with sanctions, airspace restrictions, and oil tanker seizures. Maduro denies the allegations and insists that Washington is attempting to overthrow him due to Venezuela’s vast oil reserves. If confirmed, the recent strike would be the first known US land operation on Venezuelan territory, following weeks of maritime strikes targeting drug trafficking in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific since September