U.S. bombers initiated an assault around 01:57 local time, according to one eyewitness, marking the opening stage of a military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Initial Strikes and Response
“The windows on my door shook,” one resident told the BBC. “I got up to see from my window, thinking something heavy had fallen in my backyard… and immediately I heard the second explosion of what I think was a missile, impacting. I could see the reflection of the flames.”
Footage confirmed by BBC Verify showed strikes at seven sites around Caracas and neighboring states. The bombardment lasted approximately 30 minutes, with secondary explosions continuing until shortly before 04:00, a Caracas resident reported.
“All of us were scared and distressed,” one young mother told the BBC. “We were watching the sky to see if anything was approaching our home.”
Scale of the Operation
More than 150 aircraft, including fighter jets, bombers, and helicopters, were involved in the operation, according to U.S. officials.
At least three military bases – Catia La Mar, La Carlota and Fuerte Tiuna – were targeted in the U.S. strikes. Dramatic footage showed explosions and a large fire at the coastal Higuerote Airport.
Events Leading to Maduro’s Capture
Venezuelan officials stated that at least 100 people were killed in the operation, including at least 23 military personnel. A 80-year-old civilian woman was killed in Catia La Mar when strikes damaged an apartment building, and a 45-year-old woman was reportedly killed in the El Volcán area.
According to U.S. officials, the strikes were designed to disrupt Venezuela’s air defense systems and create an opportunity for a raid on Fuerte Tiuna military base, where Maduro had been sheltering.
At approximately 01:58, verified footage showed three helicopters, including a U.S. Chinook, approaching the base. U.S. troops landed and seized Maduro at 02:01, officials said. Maduro was then transported via helicopter to the USS Iwo Jima, an assault ship in the Caribbean.
President Trump described the operation as an “amazing military achievement.”
The U.S. forces completed their operation and exited Venezuelan airspace by 03:29 local time, suffering no casualties, though one helicopter was hit by fire. Satellite images show extensive damage to Fuerte Tiuna.
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