Image source, Reuters

President Donald Trump says the US has carried out a "large scale strike against Venezuela" and "captured its leader, President Nicolas Maduro" and his wife.

Here's the statement from Truth Social in full:

"The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country.

"This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement. Details to follow. There will be a News Conference today at 11 A.M., at Mar-a-Lago. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP."

A significant ramp up - how did we get here?published at 09:08 GMT 3 January

09:08 GMT 3 January

Will Grant
Central America and Cuba correspondent

This is the biggest US military build-up in the Americas since the Cold War – it’s huge.

How did we get here?

• First, there were airstrikes on speed boats allegedly carrying drugs through Venezuelan waters
• This has extended into the eastern Caribbean, Pacific and elsewhere – 110 have been killed so far
• US forces have confiscated two sanctioned oil tankers, and a third is being pursued
• Over Christmas, Trump made reference to the first land strike.
• We have very few details about that, although the BBC is looking into witness statements and it is believed to have taken place in Zulia, which is an oil-rich state

So, what are the potential consequences?

We know so far that there’s been a special communique – or statement – from the Venezuelan government, which repudiates actions which it blames immediately on the US government.

It also calls the government’s social supporters to action across the length and breadth of the country – that’s militias and grass roots organisations.

To an extent, Maduro is doing what one would expect – appealing to his socialist base.

There’s very little he can actually do at this point, because we're waiting for more details to emerge.

But it does appear that this is a significant ramping up of a situation that has been building for months.

Charlotte Hadfield
Live reporter

If you're just joining us, here's the latest:

• US President Donald Trump has ordered strikes on sites in Venezuela, including the capital Caracas and military facilities, US officials tell the BBC's US partner CBS News - the White House is yet to respond

• Venezuela rejects and denounces the "military aggression" as President Maduro declares a national emergency

• Footage shows fire and smoke rising above the Venezuelan capital
• "My heart was pumping and legs were shaking," an eyewitness tells the BBC
• The developments come at a moment of heightened tension between the US and Venezuela, writes our correspondent Will Grant

Ione Wells
South America correspondent

Journalist Vanessa Silva, who lives in Caracas, saw an explosion from her window.

She said the sound of the explosion was huge and “stronger than thunder”, causing her home to vibrate.

Caracas is a valley, so the sound echoed around the city.

“My heart was pumping and legs were shaking,” she said, saying she was scared by how close the explosions were but that they did seem very precise.

She said there is now silence in the city but everyone is still frantically messaging each other to see if they are okay.

A relative of hers saw something falling from the sky and ten seconds later saw and heard a boom.

On Thursday, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said he was open to talks with the US on drug trafficking and oil "wherever and whenever they want".

In the interview with Venezuelan state TV, Maduro also avoided responding to a statement by US President Donald Trump that the US had hit a docking facility in Venezuela - marking the first such attack inside the country reportedly carried out by the CIA.

A few days before Maduro's interview, Trump said the US carried out a strike on a "dock area" linked to alleged Venezuelan drug boats, adding there had been a "major explosion" where "they load the boats up with drugs".

It follows weeks of Trump's ramped up pressure on Maduro, who he accuses of "emptying his prisons and insane asylums" and "forcing" its inmates to migrate to the US - along with using oil money to fund drug-related crime.

Since September, the US has launched 30 strikes on what it says are drug-smuggling boats, targeting vessels in the Pacific and the Caribbean.

More than 110 people have been killed since the US carried out its first attack on a boat in international waters on 2 September.

How rattled will people in Venezuela be following strikes?published at 08:35 GMT 3 January

08:35 GMT 3 January

Will Grant
Central America and Cuba correspondent

Very, I think.

I have been speaking to Venezuelan journalists who are concerned for themselves and their families.

I spoke to one colleague via video, who kept the lights out. She lives quite close to La Carlota, which is a military airstrip in the very centre of Caracas. She could see what was unfolding from her window.

As she contacted me with updates, she was also receiving similar images from friends and family and across social media, backing up what she was seeing but in other parts of the city.

The sense of a co-ordinated event was very acute. You can imagine how frightening that is for ordinary people – whether they agree with Maduro or oppose him.

Caracas, officially known as Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital, and largest city, of Venezuela.

The city is located within the Cardillera de la Costa mountain range in the nothern part of Venezuela, near to the Caribbean Sea.

We can bring you more now from the Venezuelan government's statement, which our correspondent Will Grant has also taken a look at - see our previous post.

The statement says the strikes in Caracas aim to "seize Venezuela's strategic resources, particularly its oil and minerals" and "forcibly break the nation's political independence".

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has "signed and ordered the implementation of the Decree declaring a state of external commotion throughout the national territory".

He has also ordered all national defense plans to be implemented "at the appropriate time and under the appropriate circumstances".

They have urged "all social and political forces in the country to activate mobilization plans and condemn this imperialist attack".

Will Grant
Central America and Cuba correspondent

The Venezuelan President has declared a national emergency, and has denounced the attacks as an attempt by the US to take his country's oil and minerals.

We've just seen an official statement from the Venezuelan government.

It reads: "Venezuela rejects, repudiates, and denounces before the international community the extremely serious military aggression perpetrated by the current Government of the United States of America against Venezuelan territory."

We are combing through the statement and will bring you more shortly.

President Trump ordered strikes on sites inside Venezuela, including military facilities, US officials tell the BBC's US partner CBS News.

CBS said the Pentagon referred all requests for comment to the White House.

Trump administration officials are aware of reports of explosions and aircraft over Venezuela's capital Caracas early Saturday morning, sources tell the BBC's US partner CBS News.

This comes after weeks of pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from the Trump administration.

The US president accuses his Venezuelan counterpart of infiltrating America with drug trafficking and crime.

Reports of explosions come at moment of heightened tensionpublished at 07:27 GMT 3 January

07:27 GMT 3 JanuaryBreaking

Will Grant
Central America and Cuba Correspondent

There were numerous near-simultaneous reports of explosions in several places in Caracas, including military installations.

La Carlota, a military airfield in the centre of the city, and the main military base of Fuerte Tiuna were described by eyewitnesses as having been affected, with video circulating of apparent explosions at both.

Several of the surrounding communities are without power. There are unconfirmed reports of planes flying over the city.

The developments come at a moment of heightened tension between the US and Venezuela as Washington keeps up its military strikes on speedboats in the Caribbean allegedly carrying drugs.

The US says the Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was illegitimately elected and is personally involved in drug-smuggling through the country.

The Venezuelan Government say recent actions by Washington – which include the confiscation of sanctioned oil tankers – are part of an effort to force the removal of President Maduro from power and control Venezuela’s oil reserves.

Explosions have been heard and smoke is seen rising above the Venezuelan capital Caracas.

This is a breaking news story, we'll bring you the latest as we get it - stay with us.