Multiple explosions rock Venezuelan capital Caracas

Several explosions have been felt across Caracas, with plumes of smoke seen rising from the Venezuelan capital in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The cause is not yet clear, although there have been unconfirmed reports of planes flying over the city.

US President Donald Trump, who has deployed a navy task force in the Caribbean, has repeatedly raised the prospect of ground strikes in Venezuela.

The White House has not commented, but Trump administration officials were aware of reports of explosions and aircraft over Caracas, the BBC’s US news partner CBS reported.

Reports of places hit by strikes include a military airfield in the centre of Caracas, La Carlota and the main military base of Fuerte Tiuna.

Several of the surrounding communities are without power.

Videos of explosions and helicopters flying overhead have been circulating on social media but have not yet been verified.

The developments come at a moment of heightened tension between the US and Venezuela.

Washington has conducted a series of strikes on boats in the Caribbean it suspects of carrying drugs.

On Monday, Trump said the US had carried out a strike on a “dock area” linked to alleged Venezuelan drug boats, causing a “major explosion”.

Venezuela’s left-wing President Nicolas Maduro has accused the US of intimidation to bring about regime change in his country.

He has also argued the US seizure of several oil tankers it said were transporting sanctioned oil revealed Washington’s true motivations to control Venezuela’s large oil reserves.

The US has accused Maduro of being personally involved in drug-smuggling and being an illegitimate leader. The results of last year’s presidential election were widely dismissed on the international stage.