Trump says Venezuelan president Maduro has been captured and flown out of country

Explosions were heard in the early hours of the morning

This news comes after Trump ordered military strikes on the Venezuelan capital of Caracas this morning.

Explosions were first reported in the early hours of Saturday (3am local time / 7am GMT) with smoke being seen rising into the sky, many of which were heard near military bases.

Venezuela swiftly responded to the attacks with a statement denouncing the strikes and soon after Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro declared a state of national emergency.

It read: "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."

However, Trump has since confirmed that the US has captured Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and flown him out of the country.

Taking to Truth Social, the US president said: "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."

Tensions have been rising between the US and Venezuela in recent months as the US Navy undertook attacks on small boats in the Caribbean thought to smuggling drugs into the US.

It is now thought the US has killed around 110 people thought to be trafficking drugs to the US.

However, many others, including Venezuelan president Maduro, have claimed that Trump is only using the war on drugs as a smokescreen for a deeper motivation to fight Venezuela, its natural resources.

Many have already suggested that Trump is really after oil and other minerals rich in the nation.

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

Trump is yet to comment on the strikes.