Wong Yu Liang / Getty Images A string of loud, window-rattling explosions tore through Caracas early Saturday morning, jolting residents awake and knocking out power in parts of the Venezuelan capital. At least seven blasts were reported just before 2 a.m. local time, according to residents and journalists from Reuters, the Associated Press, and Al Jazeera. Videos circulating online showed scenes of darkness, chaos, and plumes of smoke over the city as residents took to social media. Witnesses also reported the roar of low-flying aircraft overhead, and several neighborhoods, especially in southern Caracas, near a major military base, have reportedly lost electricity. Journalists on the ground confirmed the repeated detonations and aircraft noise, but Venezuelan authorities have not yet provided any official public comment. The blasts landed amid escalating geopolitical tensions between Venezuela and the United States, where U.S. military forces have recently intensified operations targeting alleged “narco-terrorist” networks in the region. Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro has previously accused the U.S. of aggression and interference, even as, days earlier, his government signaled willingness to negotiate on counter-drug cooperation. Read more at The Daily Beast.