Breaking: Reports of explosions in Venezuela
By SHR Media Staff
Developing | Published January 2, 2026
Update #2 – 1.3.26 10:25 AM PST
Early Saturday, January 3, 2026, President Trump announced US forces captured Nicolás Maduro and his wife during a large scale strike inside Venezuela. Caracas condemned the action as “military aggression,” declared a national emergency and called for urgent international action as questions swirl over who controls the Venezuelan government right now.
UPDATE #1 – 1.2.26 11:51 PM PST
(Jan 3, 2026): CBS News reports U.S. officials say President Trump ordered strikes on sites inside Venezuela, including military facilities, following overnight reports of explosions and aircraft activity in and around Caracas. Venezuela’s government later issued an official statement denouncing what it described as a U.S. military aggression and announcing emergency defense measures, while Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro posted that Caracas was being bombed and called for urgent UN and OAS meetings.
Initial Report
Multiple explosions were reported overnight in Caracas, Venezuela, along with the sound of aircraft overhead and reports of a power outage in parts of the city. International wire services reported the event but Venezuelan officials had not publicly explained the cause at the time of early coverage.
New reporting adds details on what witnesses saw after the blasts. Reuters reported a visible column of smoke and said southern Caracas near a major military base lost electricity, while noting the Pentagon has not commented. The Associated Press continued to report at least seven explosions around 2 a.m. local time with low flying aircraft sounds and no official statements from Venezuelan or US authorities, and AP photos showed smoke rising near La Carlota. The Washington Post also cited residents near La Carlota describing loud detonations and visible smoke, with power outages reported in several areas.
CBS News States Trump Ordered Strike
Time note: Reports place the blasts around 2:00 AM local time in Caracas on Saturday, January 3, which is about 10:00 PM Pacific on Friday, January 2. This article was updated as of 1.2.26 at 11:21 PST
What we know
- The Associated Press reported at least seven explosions and low flying aircraft sounds around 2:00 AM local time in Caracas.
- Reuters reported loud noises and said southern Caracas near a major military base was without electricity.
- Neither wire report cited an immediate official government explanation in its early updates.
- Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro posted to X “Right now they are bombing Caracas. Alert to the whole world, they have attacked Venezuela”
What we do not know yet
- The source of the blasts
- Whether any strikes occurred or whether this was an accident, internal military activity, sabotage or another cause
- Any confirmed casualty numbers or damage assessments
- Whether events in Caracas are connected to separate reports mentioning nearby areas
Social media claims spreading now
Videos and posts circulating on social platforms claim multiple detonations, smoke plumes and helicopter activity, including reports tied to Caracas and La Guaira. These claims have not been confirmed in the initial wire reporting.
A new claim posted by the account @Osinttechnical alleges US Special Operations Aviation MH 47 Chinooks were spotted operating over Venezuela and suggests the aircraft could be connected to the US Army “Night Stalkers,” the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.
At this stage, that claim should be treated as unconfirmed until supported by independent reporting, official statements or verifiable imagery with confirmed location and time.
NOTAM issued for Venezuela
The FAA issued an active international NOTAM, A0002/26 (facility KICZ), effective 01/03/2026 0600 UTC through 01/04/2026 0500 UTC, prohibiting covered US civil aviation operators from operating at all altitudes in the Maiquetía Flight Information Region (SVZM) due to safety risks tied to ongoing military activity. The restriction applies to US air carriers and commercial operators, FAA certificate holders, and US registered civil aircraft operators (with limited exceptions), does not apply to US military and state aircraft, and allows operations only with specific FAA or US government authorization and emergency deviations as required for safety.
Context: why some are floating a US strike theory
Given the long running political and military friction between the United States and Venezuela, some online voices are framing this incident as a possible American attack or raid.
What we can responsibly say right now is limited: there is long term tension, and recent reporting has discussed US pressure on Venezuela. That context does not confirm what happened in Caracas tonight.
Who are the “Night Stalkers”
The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, known as the Night Stalkers, is a US Army special operations aviation unit tasked with supporting special operations missions. The unit is commonly associated with specialized variants of helicopters used for those missions.
There is currently no confirmed evidence that the 160th operated over Caracas tonight.
Bottom line
There were reported explosions and aircraft activity over Caracas, plus a reported outage near a major military area. Cause, actors and scope are unknown. Until officials speak or multiple independent outlets verify details, treat social media claims as unconfirmed.
WIRE AND CONFIRMED REPORTING
- Associated Press: “At least 7 explosions and low-flying aircraft are heard in Venezuela’s Caracas” (Jan 3, 2026)
https://apnews.com/article/ca712a67aaefc30b1831f5bf0b50665e - Reuters: “Loud noises heard in Venezuela capital, southern area without electricity” (Jan 3, 2026)
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/loud-noises-heard-venezuela-capital-southern-area-without-electricity-2026-01-03/
REGIONAL AND LOCAL MEDIA
- Univision 23 Miami WLTV: “Detonaciones y sobrevuelos militares sacuden Caracas…” (Jan 3, 2026)
https://www.univision.com/local/miami-wltv/explosiones-sobrevuelos-militares-caracas-venezuela - El Estímulo: “Explosiones en La Gran Caracas y La Guaira…” (Jan 3, 2026)
https://elestimulo.com/venezuela/2026-01-03/venezuela-explosiones-videos/
OFFICIAL US MILITARY BACKGROUND (UNIT DESCRIPTION)
- U.S. Army, Fort Campbell: 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) overview and mission statement
https://home.army.mil/campbell/160thSOAR
SOCIAL MEDIA (USER PROVIDED)
- X: @eldiario
https://x.com/eldiario/status/2007338640448659912?s=20 - X: @VPITV
https://x.com/VPITV/status/2007339146306871660?s=20 - X: @SA_Defensa
https://x.com/SA_Defensa/status/2007334713892258156?s=20 - X: @Osinttechnical (post referenced in chat about MH-47 Chinooks over Venezuela)
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