Over two hours, 150 aircraft: The raid that brought US forces to Maduro’s bedroom

The US military mission that targeted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was launched at the request of the US Justice Department and framed as a law-enforcement operation backed by overwhelming military force, according to General Dan Caine, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff.  

Codenamed “Absolute Resolve,” the operation was designed not as a conventional act of war but as a high-value extraction mission, US officials said — drawing on decades of American counterterrorism experience rather than traditional state-to-state combat doctrine.  

150 aircraft used for mission  

Caine said the mission involved roughly 150 aircraft launching from multiple locations across the hemisphere, marking one of the most expansive and complex US military operations disclosed in recent years.  

Caine said the aircraft included F-22, F-35, and F-18 fighter jets as well as B1 bombers and other support aircraft “as well as numerous remotely piloted drones.” He said that the mission of the aircraft was to provide cover for the helicopters that acted as the “extraction force” with the goal of capturing Maduro and his wife.

Planning was shaped by US raids conducted in the Middle East, Southwest Asia and Africa, where speed, surprise and precision are prioritised over prolonged engagement. The objective, officials said, was to overwhelm Venezuelan forces before they could coordinate a response.  

Clearing the skies over Caracas  

According to Caine, US warplanes moved first to dismantle Venezuelan air defences, creating a secure corridor for helicopters to enter Caracas.  

“One of our aircraft was hit but remained flyable,” he said, confirming that Venezuelan forces did engage US aircraft, though none were forced down.  

Helicopters, extraction teams and direct fire  

Once air defences were neutralised, US helicopters entered the capital. A primary assault force was followed by a specialised extraction team tasked solely with securing Maduro.  

Caine highlighted the range of personnel involved, noting that the youngest service member was 20 and the oldest 49, reflecting a mix of junior troops and seasoned operators.  

A second helicopter wave was later dispatched to extract Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and that team also came under fire during the mission.  

Two hours and twenty minutes  

From start to finish, the operation lasted approximately two hours and 20 minutes, a deliberately compressed timeline intended to prevent Venezuelan forces from regrouping.  

President Donald Trump later said no American service members were killed, though he had earlier suggested casualties might have occurred. He added that a second wave of strikes had been prepared but was not required due to what he described as the success of the initial operation.  

Trump: “A historic show of force”  

Speaking at Mar-a-Lago, Trump described the mission as a demonstration of “overwhelming American military power”, deployed across air, land and sea. He compared it to past US operations, including strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, and claimed no other nation could carry out a mission of such scale.  

Trump went further, calling it a level of force not seen since World War II — remarks delivered while appearing visibly fatigued after remaining awake overnight.  

Trump said the United States would now “run” Venezuela, a claim immediately rejected by senior figures in Maduro’s government. Venezuela’s defence minister, attorney general and several governors appeared on state television insisting they remained in control and calling for international condemnation of the US operation.  

“Dragged from their bedroom”

CNN, citing sources familiar with the raid, reported that Maduro and Flores were “dragged from their bedroom” by elite US forces during an overnight operation in Caracas and swiftly extracted by helicopter.  

Trump later said the couple were flown out and were being taken to New York to face federal charges. Venezuelan authorities have disputed that claim, demanding proof of custody and insisting Maduro remains the country’s president.  

US officials cited by CNN said the mission was tightly focused on apprehending Maduro and that no American personnel were injured during the raid.