Explosions and planes flying low are heard in Caracas, the Venezuelan capital

UPDATE: President Trump ordered strikes on sites inside Venezuela early Saturday morning, U.S. officials told News themezone. Follow the latest updates here..

At least seven explosions, along with low-flying planes, were heard in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, around 2 a.m. local time on Saturday. People from various neighborhoods ran into the streets. Some could be seen in the distance from various areas of Caracas.

Trump administration officials said they were aware of reports of explosions and planes, sources told News themezone, but there was no immediate response to requests for comment from the White House and no immediate reaction from the Venezuelan government.

President Gustavo Petro of neighboring Colombia said in a social media post that someone was “bombing Caracas right now,” without saying who.

“Alert the entire world, they have attacked Venezuela by bombing with missiles,” he said, calling for a United Nations meeting.

The reported explosions come after months of the US military attacking suspected drug trafficking ships in the region, and as the Trump administration puts pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Thousands of US forces and several warships have been deployed to the region, and President Trump has hinted for weeks at a possible broader military operation.

The Trump administration has accused the Maduro regime of collaborating with drug traffickers, which the Venezuelan government denies. The United States has also put pressure on Venezuela’s oil sector, seizing two sanctioned oil tankers last month. Mr. Trump announced a “total and complete blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela by mid-December.

On Friday, Venezuela said it was open to negotiating an agreement with the United States to combat drug trafficking. Maduro also said in a pre-recorded interview broadcast Thursday that the United States wants to force a change of government in Venezuela and gain access to its vast oil reserves.

Trump has not explicitly said what his goal is for Venezuela, but he said late last month that it would be “smart” for Maduro to leave power. He also warned that if Maduro “becomes tough, it will be the last time he will be able to do it.”

This breaking news. Follow the latest updates here.