Breaking news. Trump confirms US strikes on Venezuela and claims Maduro and his wife were "captured"

[...] Donald Trump has confirmed US strikes on Venezuela and said President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were "captured and flown out of the country" [...] on Truth Social.

It comes after at least seven explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard around 2 am local time Saturday in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas.

Venezuela’s government accused the [US] of attacking civilian and military installations in multiple states. It said attacks took place in Caracas, Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira.

Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration has banned US commercial flights in Venezuelan airspace over “ongoing military activity” ahead of explosions in Caracas.

Eye witnesses reported explosions at several military installations in Caracas, including La Carlota, a military airfield, and the main military base of Fuerte Tiuna.

In a statement, the Venezuelan government said it "rejects, condemns, and denounces before the international community the extremely grave military aggression carried out by the current Government of the [USA] against Venezuelan territory and population."

"The objective of this attack is none other than to seize Venezuela’s strategic resources, particularly its oil and minerals, in an attempt to forcibly break the Nation’s political independence," it added.

In the statement the government also called on the country's "social and political forces" to "activate mobilisation plans".

It said [...] Maduro has signed and ordered the implementation of the "Decree declaring a State of External Disturbance".

People in various neighbourhoods rushed to the streets. [...]

“The whole ground shook. This is horrible. We heard explosions and planes,” said Carmen Hidalgo, a 21-year-old office worker, her voice trembling. She was walking briskly with two relatives, returning from a birthday party. “We felt like the air was hitting us.”

[...]