Inside the Strike: The US Munition That Hit a Residential Building in Venezuela

A Bellingcat investigation has identified remnants of an AGM-88 series missile inside a three-storey apartment complex that was hit in Catia La Mar during the US military raid on Venezuela on Jan. 3, 2026 that reportedly killed at least one civilian. According to the Venezuelan independent media outlet, El Pitazo , Rosa Gonzalez, 79, was killed in this airstrike in the city of Catia La Mar in La Guaira State, 30 km north of the capital Caracas.

The attack reportedly left a second individual severely wounded. Bellingcat asked the US Department of Defense to confirm our findings. However, they stated that “a Battle Damage Assessment is ongoing”.

We also reached out to the Department of State but they did not respond to our questions at the time of publication. The Jan. 3 US attack on Venezue