American bombers fired their first salvo around 1:57 a.m., an eyewitness told the BBC.
“The windows in my door shook,” one told the BBC. “I got up to look from my window, thinking something heavy had fallen into my yard… and immediately I heard the second explosion of what I think was a missile, impacting. I could see the reflection of the flames.”
Footage confirmed by BBC Verify showed strikes on seven sites around Caracas and neighboring states. The bombing reportedly lasted about 30 minutes, although secondary explosions continued until shortly before 4 a.m., a Caracas resident said.
“We were all scared and distressed,” one young mother told the BBC. “We were looking at the sky to see if anything was approaching our house.”
More than 150 aircraft were involved in the operation, according to U.S. officials, including fighters, bombers and helicopters.
