Dramatic new images emerging from Venezuela depict the arrival of US forces in the country to execute a rapid and explosive operation aimed at extracting Nicolas Maduro, the authoritarian Venezuelan President. The operation, described by US President Donald Trump as a “large-scale strike,” caused panic among locals as explosions and military activity shook parts of Caracas.
While Trump has yet to publicly address the operation beyond his social media platform Truth Social, scheduled for a statement at 11 am local time, information from Venezuelan officials sheds light on the events. Maduro, along with his wife, was reportedly captured and flown out of the country, leading to his indictment in the Southern District of New York on charges related to drug trafficking and firearms.
Venezuela’s Attorney General, Tarek William Saab, condemned the US strikes as a “terrorist attack,” alleging casualties among innocent civilians. Footage and photos taken by Venezuelans on the ground show flashes of light, damaged infrastructure, and fires at military installations, including Fuerte Tiuna. The operation involved US military planes departing from a base in Puerto Rico before carrying out the raid in Venezuela.
The visuals captured during the night reveal the magnitude of the explosions, with flames lighting up the skies above Caracas. The aftermath of the raids included destroyed civilian buses, damaged containers at La Guaira port, and civilians fleeing in panic as the military operation unfolded.