‎Inside 'Operation Absolute Resolve': How U.S. Forces Tracked, Stormed, and Captured Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro

‎Operation Absolute Resolve was a carefully orchestrated U.S. mission that concluded with the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro following months of covert intelligence collection, rehearsal, and coordination. According to President Donald Trump and senior military officials, the operation demonstrated detailed planning, precise execution, and overwhelming military capability.

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‎Operation Absolute Resolve was a meticulously planned U.S. military mission that led to the capture of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro after months of intelligence gathering, rehearsal, and coordinated assault.

‎Reuters

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‎Maduro was intercepted just moments before entering a fortified safe area inside his compound. Trump said the structure was reinforced with steel doors, but the rapid advance of elite U.S. forces prevented Maduro from reaching the secure zone. He explained that Maduro attempted to reach safety but was overtaken within seconds due to the speed of the approaching commandos.

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‎Trump described watching the operation unfold live, comparing it to a television broadcast and calling it remarkable. He said the assault force closed in almost immediately, leaving Maduro no opportunity to reach the reinforced area.

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‎The raid was led by Army Delta Force operators who were transported by the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, known as the Night Stalkers. Using modified MH-60 and MH-47 helicopters, the unit carried out low-level nighttime insertions as aircraft advanced toward the compound under fire. Prior to their arrival, U.S. warplanes dismantled Venezuelan air defenses to clear access into Caracas.

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‎Trump said the operation achieved partial surprise. He noted that Venezuelan forces appeared to be expecting some form of action but were met with intense opposition and sustained gunfire as U.S. forces advanced.

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‎At a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said months of intelligence gathering produced detailed knowledge about Maduro’s movements, habits, residences, travel patterns, clothing, diet, and personal surroundings. According to officials briefed on the matter, the CIA relied on a combination of stealth drone surveillance and a human source with close access to Maduro.

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‎The intelligence campaign began as early as August, combining human intelligence with aerial monitoring. Once sufficient data was gathered, U.S. forces began months of precise mission planning and rehearsal. Ahead of the operation, personnel trained on a full-scale replica of Maduro’s compound, which Trump said was constructed to be identical, including steel reinforcements and secure rooms.

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‎Trump said the final authorization to proceed was given at 10:46 p.m. Friday after a brief clearing in weather conditions. The mission unfolded over approximately two hours and 20 minutes. Acting on Trump’s order, U.S. forces launched what he described as an extraordinary military operation in Caracas, employing air, land, and sea power on a scale not seen since World War II.

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‎Maduro was later described as being inside a fortress-like residence equipped with reinforced steel doors and a protected safe area. Trump said Maduro attempted to enter the secure section but was intercepted before reaching it. U.S. forces were equipped with blowtorches to breach the steel if necessary.

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‎Gen. Caine said aircraft began deploying shortly after authorization, launching from approximately 20 land bases and Navy ships. Marines, the Navy, the Air Force, and the Air National Guard provided support, while B-1 bombers operated overhead. In total, more than 150 aircraft were involved, including bombers, fighter jets, intelligence platforms, surveillance aircraft, and helicopters.

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‎At approximately 1:01 a.m., U.S. forces arrived at Maduro’s compound inside the Fort Tiuna military complex in Caracas. Caine said the apprehension team operated with speed, precision, and discipline. As helicopters provided air support, they came under fire, with one aircraft being struck but remaining flyable.

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‎Explosions were reported across Caracas shortly before 2 a.m. as U.S. aircraft returned fire, according to journalists on the ground. Trump said Venezuelan forces were aware that an operation was likely due to months of escalating pressure, but were quickly overwhelmed and incapacitated.

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‎Caine confirmed that U.S. warplanes dismantled Venezuelan air defenses, while power outages across parts of Caracas were caused by a cyber operation. Trump said much of the city was plunged into darkness due to U.S. technical capabilities, describing the conditions as dark and deadly.

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‎By 3:29 a.m., helicopters reported leaving Venezuelan airspace as the extraction phase began. Caine said multiple self-defense engagements occurred during the withdrawal. By the end of the operation, Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, surrendered and were taken into custody by the U.S. Department of Justice.

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‎The mission involved aircraft launching across the hemisphere. One U.S. aircraft was damaged but remained operational. Caine said the youngest service member involved was 20 years old, while the oldest was 49. Trump and Caine confirmed there were no U.S. fatalities and no equipment losses.

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‎U.S. officials later said approximately six American personnel were injured, including those aboard the damaged aircraft. Venezuelan officials told the New York Times that at least 40 people, including soldiers and civilians, were killed during the operation.

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‎Former senior intelligence official Alex Plitsas said U.S. intelligence teams had been tracking Maduro for months, establishing patterns of behavior and cultivating sources. He said the operation had initially been scheduled days earlier but was delayed due to poor weather. Once conditions improved, the CIA relayed intelligence to the Delta Force team that led the assault.

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‎Trump said the mission had been authorized earlier but planners waited for a narrow weather window to ensure surprise and minimize civilian harm. The FBI Hostage Rescue Team joined the mission because it was conducted under a federal arrest warrant tied to narcoterrorism charges dating back to 2020. FBI personnel accompanied the assault force to formally arrest Maduro after the compound was secured.

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‎Maduro and Flores were evacuated by helicopter and transferred to a U.S. Navy warship en route to New York City. By 4:29 a.m. local time, they had been placed aboard the USS Iwo Jima, stationed in the Caribbean, where Trump said they would face trial.

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‎Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth praised the operation as flawlessly executed and said Trump was serious about confronting drug trafficking and criminal networks. Trump said the U.S. was prepared to deploy a larger follow-up force if necessary but quickly determined it would not be required.

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‎The capture raised immediate questions about Venezuela’s leadership. Plitsas said many cabinet members remained active inside the country, leaving uncertainty over who was in control. Trump said the United States intends to remain involved, adding that U.S. companies would enter Venezuela with a focus on oil development. Asked about deploying U.S. troops, Trump dismissed concerns and said the United States was not afraid of boots on the ground.

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‎Trump again highlighted the operation’s precision, noting that U.S. forces trained on an exact replica of Maduro’s compound, complete with steel reinforcements.