Post by : Meena Ariff

Around 2 a.m. local time on Saturday, residents of Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, reported hearing at least seven explosions along with the noise of low-flying aircraft. The exact cause of these explosions remains unknown, and neither Venezuelan authorities nor U.S. officials have provided any immediate comments.

Following the sounds, people from various neighborhoods rushed outside, visibly concerned and seeking safety. These incidents come amid growing tensions between Venezuela and the United States, especially linked to ongoing U.S. military actions targeting boats accused of drug trafficking.

Just a day earlier, Venezuelan officials indicated their openness to negotiating an agreement with the U.S. to combat drug smuggling. However, President Nicolás Maduro accused the U.S. of trying to force a regime change to control Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, referring to a months-long pressure campaign that began with a large U.S. military presence deployed to the Caribbean Sea in August.

Maduro is currently charged with narco-terrorism by the U.S. Recently, a drone strike, believed to be carried out by U.S. intelligence, targeted a dock reportedly used by Venezuelan drug cartels. This operation was the first direct U.S. strike on Venezuelan territory since the U.S. began targeting suspected drug-smuggling boats in September.

The U.S. has also seized oil tankers under sanctions and imposed blockades in an effort to increase economic pressure on Venezuela. Since early September, U.S. forces have carried out at least 35 strikes against vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in over 115 deaths, according to official U.S. sources.

This military action followed a significant buildup of American forces near South America, including the November deployment of the U.S. Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier, increasing the number of troops in the region to its highest level in decades.

U.S. officials describe these measures as necessary to reduce drug trafficking into the United States, characterizing their efforts as part of an “armed conflict” against drug cartels.

At the same time, Iranian state media aired footage of the explosions in Caracas. Iran has maintained strong ties with Venezuela, partly due to their shared opposition to U.S. policies in the region.

#Global News #World News #US News