LiveFire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military installation, is observed from afar following a series of detonations in Caracas on January 3, 2026. Reports from U.S. media indicate that the United States military executed a series of attacks against the Venezuelan capital on Saturday. The White House and Pentagon have refrained from commenting on the explosions and the sightings of aircraft over the city. Unnamed officials from the Trump administration confirmed to CBS News and Fox News that U.S. forces were engaged in the operation. Str/AFP via Getty Images
Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, provided a comprehensive overview of the U.S. military’s operation aimed at capturing Nicholas Maduro and his spouse early Saturday morning.
Here are key points:
The operation was designated as “Operation Absolute Resolve.”
Caine noted that over 150 aircraft participated, which included fighter jets, bombers, surveillance planes, intelligence aircraft, and helicopters. He stated that the entire joint force was engaged in the mission (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Space Force, and intelligence agencies).
General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, addresses the media as President Donald Trump listens during a press briefing following a U.S. operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Fla., on January 3, 2026. Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
The aircraft utilized included:
— Fighters: F-35s, F/A-18s, E/A-18s, F-22s
— Bombers: B-1 bombers
— Unmanned aerial vehicles and E-2 Hawkeyes
He remarked that the aircraft launched from 20 different bases, both on land and at sea, with additional support aircraft also participating.
U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II fighter jets taxi on the tarmac at the former Roosevelt Roads naval base, after President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. had conducted strikes in Venezuela and captured President Nicolas Maduro, in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, January 3, 2026. Eva Marie Uzcategui/Reuters
President Donald Trump authorized the operation at 10:46 p.m., according to Caine. He stated that the president’s message of “Good luck and Godspeed” was conveyed to the entire force.
The extraction team that apprehended Maduro and his wife included law enforcement personnel.
Fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military complex, is observed from a distance following a series of explosions in Caracas on January 3, 2026. The U.S. military executed a series of attacks against the Venezuelan capital on Saturday, as reported by U.S. media. The White House and Pentagon have not provided comments on the explosions and sightings of aircraft in the area. CBS News and Fox News reported that unnamed Trump administration officials confirmed U.S. forces’ involvement. Str/AFP via Getty Images
The helicopters transporting the team flew at an altitude of 100 feet above
Sourse: abcnews.go.com