CARACAS/WASHINGTON/HAVANA - US President Donald Trump said Saturday in a Truth Social post that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out of Venezuela.

Trump confirmed that the United States launched "a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro."

"There will be a News Conference today at 11 AM, at Mar-a-Lago," Trump added.

The US Federal Aviation Administration on early Saturday morning barred US aircraft from flying at any altitude within Venezuelan airspace following reports of explosions in Caracas, citing "safety-of-flight risks associated with ongoing military activity."

Venezuela denounced a "military aggression" by the United States, after large explosions were heard and aircraft were seen over the capital Caracas earlier in the day.

The local media reported that Maduro has declared a national emergency.

The military strikes targeted civilian and military sites in at least four states of the country, including Caracas, as well as the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, the Venezuelan government said, adding that the US action blatantly violated the UN Charter.

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Low-flying aircraft were spotted, and clouds of smoke were seen following loud explosion sounds at around 2:00 am (0600 GMT) Saturday in Caracas.

Reports said brief power outages occurred in some areas, including a military base in Caracas.

In the statement, the Venezuelan government said that Maduro had "ordered all national defense plans to be implemented" and declared "a state of external disturbance."

Shortly after the attack started, CBS White House reporter Jennifer Jacobs cited US officials saying that Trump had ordered the strikes, while FOX News reported that US officials confirmed the bombings.

Over the past months, the US has maintained a significant military presence in the Caribbean, including the USS Gerald R. Ford, an aircraft carrier, and about 15,000 troops, much of it off Venezuela's coast, purportedly to combat drug trafficking – a claim Venezuela has denounced as a thinly veiled attempt to bring about regime change in Caracas.

Call for global response

Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Saturday called for an urgent meeting of the Organization of American States and the UN on the attack in Venezuela.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel condemned what he described as the "criminal US attack" against Venezuela, demanding an urgent response from the international community.

In a social media post, the president said that the region of peace (Latin America) is being brutally assaulted, and "this is state terrorism against the brave Venezuelan people and against Our America."