Column of smoke seen, loud noises heard in Venezuelan capital

Jan 3 (Reuters) - ⁠Airplanes, ⁠loud ‍noises and at least one column of ‍smoke were being heard and ​seen in Venezuelan capital ​Caracas in the early hours of Saturday morning, according to Reuters witnesses, ​and the southern area of the city, ​near a major military base, was ‌without electricity.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly promised land ​operations in Venezuela, ⁠amid efforts to pressure President Nicolas ‌Maduro to leave office, including expanded sanctions, a ‌ramped-up U.S. military presence in the ‌region and more than two dozen strikes on vessels allegedly ‍involved in trafficking drugs in the Pacific ⁠Ocean and Caribbean Sea.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to request for comment.

(Reporting by Reuters)

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