The US has initiated a full-scale operation against Venezuela at Donald Trump’s orders. After months of targeting boats and docks of the South American country, the US Army launched land strikes on its capital city, Caracas.
The attack took place in the early hours of Saturday, January 3, 2026, as chaos erupted in the capital due to low-flying aircraft and military strikes. The operation has reportedly been carried out by the US Army’s Delta Force, a special anti-terrorism mission unit.
Several military bases in Caracas have allegedly been hit, including Fuerte Tiuna, airbase La Carlota, signal antenna El Volcán, and seaport La Guaira Port.
Shortly after the attack, Donald Trump confirmed the action and revealed that the US Army had captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro along with his wife.
Trump wrote on Truth Social, “The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country.”
The President added that the operation was conducted by U.S. Law Enforcement agencies. He has planned a press conference at 11 AM ET in Mar-a-Lago to provide more information about the strikes.
Details about the loss of life and property in Venezuela are currently awaited.
truth social post from trump about the capture of maduro so you don’t have to go to truth social pic.twitter.com/gDmYyInCaN
— venturecommunist.bsky.social (@venturecommunis) January 3, 2026
The country has declared an emergency, with Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López revealing that the military is being deployed to fight against the US troops.
The minister released a video message after the attack and called it an invasion. He said, “[US forces] have desecrated our soil, going so far as to strike, using missiles and rockets fired from their combat helicopters, residential areas populated by civilians.”
Talking about the country’s efforts to combat the strikes, López said, “[Venezuela will launch] massive deployment of all land, air, naval, riverine and missile capabilities… for comprehensive defense.”
However, he did not confirm whether Maduro had actually been captured by the US. Meanwhile, Trump is receiving criticism from Democrats, who are calling the strikes an ‘illegal and unjustified war.’ Some Republicans have also joined in and expressed their doubts about the operation.
#BREAKING 🇺🇸🇻🇪 The United States has launched a large-scale missile attack against Venezuela.
Multiple explosions have rocked the Venezuelan capital.
2026 is off to a crazy start. pic.twitter.com/C9Lg59eWei
— Heyman_101 (@SU_57R) January 3, 2026
On the other hand, Venezuelan officials have asked citizens to take to the streets to support their government. An official statement from the authorities read, “People to the streets! The Bolivarian Government calls on all social and political forces in the country to activate mobilization plans and repudiate this imperialist attack.”
The strikes have been conducted after months of tension between the US and Venezuela. Ever since Trump came to power for the second time, he has labeled Maduro as a “narcoterrorist” responsible for the menace of drugs in the US.
In the past few months, the US significantly increased its military presence in the Caribbean and targeted multiple Venezuelan ships suspected of carrying narcotics.
Trump had already signaled that he wanted Maduro out of power, and with the attack, the conflict between the two nations has almost escalated into a war.
