The US conducted a large-scale military intelligence operation to detain the head of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, which involved more than 150 aircraft, including fighter jets and strategic bombers.
This was reported by Reuters, citing four informed sources and public statements by US President Donald Trump.
According to the agency, preparations for the operation lasted several months. Back in August 2025, the CIA sent a small group of employees to Venezuela to collect information about Maduro's daily routine and movements.
Two Reuters sources also noted that the CIA had an agent from the Venezuelan leader's close circle, who was supposed to transmit the exact coordinates of his location at the time of the operation.
In parallel, elite units of the US Army, including the Delta Force, practiced the assault by creating a detailed replica of Maduro's secure residence. According to one of the agency's interlocutors, the key planning group for the operation was formed by Trump's senior adviser Stephen Miller, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, reported that Donald Trump finally approved the operation, called "Absolute Resolve", on January 2 at 10:46 pm Eastern time. The start of the operation was postponed for several days due to adverse weather conditions. The President and his advisers watched the operation from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
To support the operation, the Pentagon has significantly increased its military presence in the Caribbean, deploying an aircraft carrier, 11 ships, more than a dozen F-35 fighter jets, and a total of about 15,000 troops.
According to Caine, more than 150 aircraft from 20 bases in the Western Hemisphere took part in the operation. Among them were F-35 and F-22 fighters and B-1 bombers. They struck targets in and around Caracas, including air defense systems. In addition, the Pentagon has quietly deployed drones and electronic warfare aircraft in the region.
The American military has encountered resistance from Venezuelan forces. According to Caine, upon arrival at Maduro's compound in central Caracas, they were fired upon, and one of the helicopters was shot down, although it remained in the air.
After entering the residence, Maduro and his wife surrendered without further resistance. Donald Trump said that the Venezuelan leader tried to get to a protected room, but did not have time to close the door. During the withdrawal, American forces repeatedly clashed with armed self-defense groups, but by 03:20 am EST, the helicopters with Maduro and his wife on board were over the sea.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on the morning of Saturday, January 3, explosions were heard in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, and a state of emergency was declared in the country due to "an extremely serious military aggression carried out by the current government of the United States of America."
Later, US President Donald Trump said that his Venezuelan counterpart and his wife were captured and taken out of the country as a result of a special operation.
The Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Venezuela has ruled that Vice President Delcy Rodriguez will act as acting head of state in the absence of Nicolas Maduro.
Nicolas Maduro will be tried in the United States, Utah Senator Mike Lee (Republican Party) said following his conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. At the same time, the russian Foreign Ministry condemned the US armed aggression against Venezuela on January 3 and expressed deep concern.
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