On Saturday, Delta Force and soldiers with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment were integral to Operation Absolute Resolve, an operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.
In a press conference Saturday morning, President Donald J. Trump, War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine detailed the successful operation.
What we know is that airstrikes hit several sites in Venezuela as U.S. forces infiltrated a “heavily fortified military fortress” in the capital of Caracas, according to Trump.
Trump said no U.S. personnel were killed in the attack after U.S. special operations forces moved in by helicopter and captured Maduro and his wife Celia Flores.
Caine said Operation Absolute Resolve was a “culmination of months of planning and rehearsal.”
Troops were staged and “sat ready” starting in late December, Caine said.
Cain stated:
“This operation, known as Operation Absolute Resolve, was discreet, precise and conducted during the darkest hours of January 2nd and was the culmination of months of planning and rehearsal, an operation that, frankly, only the United States military could undertake.
“Our interagency work began months ago and built on decades of experience of integrating complex air, ground, space, and maritime operations. While the past two decades have honed the skills of our special operations forces, this particular mission required every component of our joint force with soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and guardians working in unison with our intelligence agency partners and law enforcement teammates.
“In an unprecedented operation, we leveraged our unmatched intelligence capabilities and our years of experience in hunting terrorists. And we could not have done this mission without the incredible work by various intelligence agencies, including the CIA, NSA, and NGA.
“We watched, we waited, we prepared. We remained patient and professional. This mission was meticulously planned, drawing lessons from decades of missions over the last many years, decades, many missions over these last many years.
“This was an audacious operation that only the United States could do.
“It required the utmost of precision and integration within our joint force, and the word integration does not explain the sheer complexity of such a mission and extraction so precise.“
The operation was on hold, in part, due to weather concerns. Good weather conditions on Friday night led Trump to give the approval to proceed shortly before 11 p.m. Eastern Time, Cain explained.
“Let me talk a little bit about the preparation,” Cain said. “After months of work by our intelligence teammates, to find Maduro and understand how he moved, where he lived, where he traveled, what he ate, what he wore, what were his pets. In early December, our force was set pending a series of aligned events. Key was choosing the right day to minimize the potential for civilian harm and maximize the element of surprise and minimize the harm to the indicted personnel, so, as the president said, they could be brought to justice.
“And as the president said earlier today, weather in Venezuela is always a factor this time of the year and over the weeks through Christmas and New Years, the men and women of the United States Military sat ready, patiently waiting for the right triggers to be met and the president to order us into action.
“Last night, the weather broke just enough, clearing a path that only the most skilled aviators in the world could maneuver through. Ocean mountain, low cloud ceilings, but when tasked with a mission, this organization does not quit.
“At 10:46 p.m. eastern time last night, the president ordered the united states military to move forward with this mission. he said to us, and we appreciate it, mr. president, good luck and godspeed. and those words were transmitted to the entire joint force.”
Cain said the operation involved 150 aircraft from 20 different bases and ships, including Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps fighter jets and bombers.
Cain detailed the operation, saying 160th SOAR helicopters flew to the site, provided air cover by fighters and bombers. They fired on Venezuelan ground defenses when the U.S. forces came under fire during the raid.
One helicopter was damaged in that action, but it remained operational and was able to fly to safety, Caine said. No military equipment was lost in the operation.
The operation “involved more than 150 aircraft launching across the western hemisphere in close coordination, all coming together in time and place to layer effects for a single purpose, to get an interdiction force into downtown Caracas while maintaining the element of tactical surprise,” Caine explained. “Failure of one component of this well-oiled machine would have endangered the entire mission. And failure is never an option for America’s joint force.
“Those in the air over Caracas last night were willing to give their lives for those on the ground and in the helicopters.”
Cain concluded by saying, “I am immensely proud today of our joint force and filled with gratitude to represent them here today. There is simply no mission too difficult for these incredible professionals and the families that stand by them and support them. As we stand here this morning, our forces remain in the region at a high state of readiness, prepared to project power, defend themselves and our interests in the region.
“This operation is a testament to the dedication and unwavering commitment to justice, and our resolve to hold accountable those who threaten peace and stability.
“In closing, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the brave men and women who executed this mission, their courage and tireless commitment to our nation.”
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