More than 150 US military aircraft participated in the operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, including fighter jets, drones, bombers, and helicopters, the top US general said on Saturday.
Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that the “audacious” mission to extract Maduro — called “Absolute Resolve” — required months of meticulous planning and rehearsal, and involved forces from across the US military.
Caine, speaking in Florida alongside President Donald Trump and other senior administration officials, said the US intelligence agencies spent months trying to find Maduro and map out various elements and patterns of his life. There were also detailed rehearsals, including the building of a replica of Maduro’s compound, an approach the US applied to the 2011 Osama bin Laden raid.
There were limits to what Caine could share, but he was still able to provide substantial detail.
Shortly before 11 p.m. ET on Friday night, after waiting several days for favorable weather, Trump ordered US forces to proceed with the extraction operation.
Caine said that during the “darkest hours” of the night, aircraft launched from 20 different bases, on land and at sea, across the Western Hemisphere.
Helicopters carrying the US apprehension teams, including law enforcement officers and special operations forces, took off and flew to Venezuela, flying around 100 feet above the water.
As they approached the shores, military forces established a path forward, while Marine, Navy, and Air Force planes protected them from above. The US targeted Venezuelan military installations and defenses. Trump also shared that the military effectively turned off the lights using “certain expertise.” The darkness aided the infiltration.
Eva Marie Uzcategui/REUTERS
The American aircraft included a mix of F-35 and F-22 stealth fighter jets, as well as F/A-18 fighter jets, EA-18 electronic attack jets, E-2 airborne early warning planes, B-1 bombers, and other unnamed support aircraft, as well as “numerous” drones, Caine said.
As the interdiction forces out to bag Maduro approached Caracas, the aircraft began to strike Venezuela’s air defenses to ensure a safe passageway for the helicopters flying at low altitudes. Trump acknowledged that US military action had been telegraphed in advance, so the air defenses were ready. They were, however, met with a significant response.
“Those in the air over Caracas last night were willing to give their lives for those on the ground and in the helicopters,” Caine said of the planes providing air cover.
US strikes and other layered effects, Caine said, helped ensure the forces pushing into downtown Caracas had “totally the element of surprise.”
The helicopters carrying the extraction team arrived at Maduro’s compound shortly after 1 a.m. ET and took heavy fire. The apprehension force stormed the facility and took the Venezuelan president and his wife into custody. Trump said that they attempted to make it into a steel safe room but were unable to get the door closed.
American forces then withdrew from the country, with fighters and drones covering the exfiltration. By roughly 3:30 a.m. ET, US forces were over the water.
They flew Maduro and his wife to the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima. Trump later published a photo of the Venezuelan president aboard the ship, where he was seen wearing a blindfold and ear protection while holding a bottle of water.
Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/REUTERS
US officials said that there were no equipment or troop losses; however, Trump said earlier that “a couple of guys were hit” during the raid. The Pentagon and White House did not respond to questions for additional details on injuries to American personnel. A helicopter was also hit “pretty hard,” Trump said, but it remained flyable.
The scale and coordination of what Trump called a “very complex” operation resemble those of the June 2025 strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities, which also involved dozens of US military aircraft, with officials underscoring the key element of surprise.
The US established a significant military presence in the Caribbean Sea in recent months, including warships and aircraft. Troops, planes, and other assets have been very active, and the Trump administration has been repeatedly threatening to strike Venezuela, accusing the country’s leadership of facilitating drug trafficking, among other criminal activity. Maduro rejected these claims.
The US has carried out dozens of strikes against alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, killing more than 100 people in a campaign that drew criticism from legal experts and lawmakers. The US stopped short of hitting targets inside Venezuela, at least until a recent CIA operation.
The significant operation on Saturday marks a major escalation and throws into question the future of Venezuela’s leadership. Trump said the US is going to “run the country” until it can ensure a safe transition of power, while also encouraging American oil companies to become involved in the Venezuelan oil industry.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Pamela Bondi said Maduro has been indicted in the Southern District of New York and charged with various drug-related offenses.
