The US has carried out a “large-scale strike” against Venezuela, and its leader, Nicolas Maduro, has been flown out of the country with his wife.
The strikes mark a dramatic escalation after months of tension between the two countries and a US military build-up in the region.
This is what we know so far.
Where and when did the US strike?
Several explosions rang out in Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, early on Saturday, as low-flying aircraft swept over the city.
Witnesses reported smoke rising from the hangar of a military base in Caracas.
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How did we get here?
The explosions sent people rushing into the streets, while others posted videos of the blasts on social media.
The strikes, which lasted about 30 minutes, also hit the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, according to the Venezuelan government.
Donald Trump told Fox News there were a few injuries to US forces, but no deaths.
Smoke rises from military base in Fort Tiuna, Venezuela. Pic: Reuters
How was Maduro captured?
In a post on Truth Social, Donald Trump said Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were “captured” and flown out of the country after the US “successfully carried out a large-scale strike”.
He added: “This operation was done in conjunction with US Law Enforcement. Details to follow.”
Maduro was captured by elite special forces troops, a US official told the Reuters news agency.
On Saturday morning, sources inside the opposition told Sky News they believe Maduro’s capture was a “negotiated exit”.
According to the country’s ruling party leader, Nahum Fernandez, the president and his wife were at their home within a military base when they were seized.
“That’s where they bombed,” he told The Associated Press.
“And, there, they carried out what we could call a kidnapping of the president and the first lady of the country.”
US broadcaster CNN reported the couple were “dragged from their bedroom”.
Citing two sources, they said they were “captured in the middle of the night as they were sleeping”.
Donald Trump shared an image on Truth Social, captioned: ‘Nicolas Maduro on board the USS Imo Jima.’ Pic: Truth Social
Maduro to face charges
US attorney general Pam Bondi said Nicolas Maduro and Cilia Flores have been indicted in the Southern District of New York.
“They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts,” Ms Bondi wrote on X.
She said the Venezuelan president faces charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy; cocaine importation conspiracy; possession of machine guns and destructive devices; and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the US.
Maduro was indicted in March 2020 on “narco-terrorism” charges in the Southern District of New York.
What next for Venezuela’s leadership?
Mr Trump said they are now making decisions on what’s next for Venezuelan leadership but that “we will run the country” until there’s a transition of government.
He warned any Maduro loyalists have a “bad future”.
Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado shared a statement on social media, with the caption: “Venezuelans, the hour of freedom has arrived.”
“Nicolas Maduro, starting today, faces international justice for the atrocious crimes committed against Venezuelans and against citizens of many other nations,” she said.
“Given his refusal to accept a negotiated solution, the United States government has fulfilled its promise to uphold the law.”
Venezuela attack was an assault ‘not seen since World War Two’, says Trump
Mr Trump spoke to the media at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday about the assault on Venezuela.
He told reporters “air, land and sea was used” for an assault “like people have not seen since World War Two”.
The US president said the goal of the attack on a “heavily fortified military fortress in the heart of Caracas” was “to bring outlaw dictator Nicolas Maduro to justice”.
“This was one of the most stunning, effective and powerful displays of American military might and competence in American history,” he added.
Mr Trump said the US will “run” Venezuela until a “proper transition” can take place.
He said the US was “ready to stage a second and much larger attack if we need to do so”.
The armed forces assumed that a second wave would be necessary, he added, but said the first attack “was so successful, we probably don’t have to do a second”.
“But we’re prepared to do a second wave, a much bigger wave, actually,” he said.
US oil firms will enter the country during the transition period, Mr Trump added.
He said: “We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country.”
Mr Trump also said Ms Machado, Venezuela’s opposition leader who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year, is unlikely to be the next president, because she “doesn’t have the support”.
“She’s a very nice woman, but she doesn’t have the respect,” he said.
What has Keir Starmer said about the strikes?
Sir Keir Starmer said the UK had no involvement and he has not spoken to Donald Trump about the “fast-moving situation”.
He added: “I will want to talk to the president, I will want to talk to allies.”
When asked about Trump saying that Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro had been captured, Sir Keir said he wanted to “establish facts” and added: “As you know, I always say and believe that we should uphold international law.”
The prime minister also noted that there are roughly 500 Britons in Venezuela, and said the government is working with the embassy “at pace”.
National emergency declared
The Venezuelan government declared a national emergency “to protect the rights of the population, the full functioning of republican institutions, and to immediately transition to armed struggle”, adding: “The entire country must mobilise to defeat this imperialist aggression.”
It accused the US of trying to “seize Venezuela’s strategic resources, particularly its oil and minerals, attempting to forcibly break the nation’s political independence”.
It said it “rejects, repudiates, and denounces” America’s “military aggression”.
A statement added: “Such aggression threatens international peace and stability, specifically in Latin America and the Caribbean, and seriously endangers the lives of millions of people.”
A firefighter walks past a destroyed anti-aircraft unit at La Carlota military air base. Pic: Reuters
Why now?
Mr Trump has escalated a pressure campaign on Maduro, threatening to order strikes on targets on Venezuelan land following months of attacks on boats that the US administration accused of carrying drugs.
Maduro repeatedly said the campaign was simply the US trying to oust him from power.
The Trump administration has accused Venezuela of failing to cooperate with anti-drug efforts over domestic criminal groups.