Something woke up Caracas around 2 a.m. on Saturday morning, and it wasn't pleasant. Low-flying aircraft buzzed overhead, followed by at least seven explosions that rattled Venezuela's capital city.

The Venezuelan government wasted no time pointing fingers. In an official statement, officials accused the United States of the attacks, saying the country "rejects, repudiates, and denounces before the international community the grave military aggression perpetrated by the current government of the United States of America against Venezuelan territory."

The Bigger Picture

Here's where things get interesting. The US military has been actively targeting alleged drug-smuggling boats in the region recently. This comes right after President Nicolás Maduro announced Venezuela's willingness to negotiate an agreement with the US to combat drug trafficking. Talk about awkward timing.

Since August, American operations in the Caribbean Sea have ramped up considerably. Last week saw a drone strike on a suspected Venezuelan drug cartel site. US authorities have also seized sanctioned oil tankers and ordered blockades of others, squeezing the Maduro government from multiple angles.

Venezuela's Ambassador to the United Nations didn't mince words, calling these actions "the greatest extortion known in our history," particularly after two Venezuelan oil tankers were seized.

Oil and Power Politics

Maduro has consistently accused the US of trying to force regime change in Venezuela to gain access to the country's substantial oil reserves through what he describes as a long-term pressure campaign. It's not entirely paranoid when you consider the escalating tensions.

Earlier reports indicated that President Donald Trump has increased pressure for Maduro's removal, enough that other countries including Belarus and Russia have reached out to Venezuela. There's even been speculation that Maduro might flee the country, though he's still firmly in place for now.

Whether Saturday's explosions were part of US operations or something else entirely remains unclear, but they've certainly added fuel to an already burning diplomatic fire.