Caracas: Venezuelan troops taught civilians how to shoot rifles, fire missiles and engage in hand-to-hand combat during drills in defiance of US sanctions and President Donald Trump’s threat of military action.

War planes, tanks and 200,000 troops of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces (FANB) deployed along with 700,000 reservists and civilians as socialist President Nicolas Maduro launched two days of military exercises on Friday.

In a Caracas military academy, soldiers taught civilians how to use their fists, rifles, bazookas and anti-aircraft guns and supervised them on obstacle courses.

“Yankees out!” 60-year-old Erica Avendano yelled as she bashed a rag dummy with her rifle on an assault course. “I hope nothing will happen, but we are ready for anything,” she told AFP.

Trump warned earlier this month that the United States was mulling a range of options against Venezuela, “including a possible military option if necessary.”