The United States launched military strikes on targets inside Venezuela, including military facilities, as part of an expanded campaign against the government of President Nicolás Maduro, according to reporting by CBS News.
US officials said President Donald Trump ordered the operation, which followed months of increased US military presence in the region. Trump later said that Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out of the country during what he described as a large-scale strike.
The strikes came after the deployment of major US naval assets in the Caribbean, including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford. In recent weeks, the US has also seized oil tankers, struck vessels it says were involved in drug trafficking, and targeted port infrastructure linked to those operations.
The Trump administration has accused Maduro of drug trafficking and cooperation with criminal groups designated as terrorist organisations, allegations that Maduro has denied. US officials have said the latest action follows warnings that further escalation would occur if Caracas resisted US pressure.
There was no immediate independent confirmation of Maduro’s whereabouts or the full impact of the strikes. The situation remains fluid as international attention focuses on potential political and security consequences.
