How The U.S. Strike On Venezuela Overwhelmed Air Defenses And Captured Nicolás Maduro

The U.S. military launched a major operation against Venezuela on Jan. 3, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and severely degrading the country’s air defense systems. The strike unfolded quickly and involved a massive air campaign that left Venezuela largely unable to respond.

More than 150 U.S. aircraft, including bombers, fighter jets and support planes, took part in what President Donald Trump described as a “large-scale strike.” Around the same time, large parts of Caracas experienced power outages, pointing to the possibility of cyber operations alongside the air assault.

Trump suggested U.S. involvement in the blackout but offered few details. “The lights of Caracas were largely turned off due to a certain expertise that we have,” Trump said.

U.S. Cyber and Space Capabilities May Have Opened the Door

Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic & International Studies, said it remains unclear exactly how U.S. Cyber Command and Space Command contributed, but signs point to digital and electronic disruption.

“We don’t really know what cyber did, some of the lights did go out, and Caine did talk about it,” Cancian told Fox News Wednesday. “It’s possible that (they) got into some of their command and control systems.”

Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said U.S. forces layered multiple effects as helicopters and law enforcement units moved toward Venezuela’s coast.

“The U.S. ‘began layering different effects provided by SPACECOM, CYBERCOM, and other members of the inter-agency to create a pathway,’” Caine said.

Aircraft involved included F-22s, F-35s, F/A-18s, EA-18s, E-2 early warning planes, B-1 bombers, support aircraft and remotely piloted drones.

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“As the force began to approach Caracas, the joint air component began dismantling and disabling the air defense systems in Venezuela, employing weapons to ensure the safe passage of the helicopters into the target area,” Caine told reporters.

Cancian said the mission likely used weapons such as the AGM-88 HARM missile, designed to destroy radar-based air defenses.

A Space Command spokesperson said details of its role in Operation Absolute Resolve could not be shared but noted that satellite communications and positioning systems are “foundational to all modern military activities.”

“To protect the Joint Force from space-enabled attack and ensure their freedom of movement, U.S. Space Command possesses the means and willingness to employ combat-credible capabilities that deter and counter our opponents and project power in all warfighting domains,” the spokesperson said.

CIA Intelligence and Weak Defenses Tilted the Battle

According to Cancian, CIA assets had been operating inside Venezuela ahead of the raid. Trump confirmed in October 2025 that he authorized covert CIA operations there.

“They gave detailed descriptions of Maduro’s headquarters, and I’m sure located all of the air defense batteries around Caracas,” Cancian said. “So we had an excellent sense about where everything was, combining that with overhead surveillance and also electromagnetic intelligence.”

Venezuela fields Russian-made S-300 long-range missile systems, along with Buk-M2E and Pechora-2M medium-range systems. But Cancian said training and coordination problems weakened their effectiveness.

Of the more than 150 U.S. aircraft involved, only one was hit and none were shot down. An administration official said seven U.S. service members were injured but were “well on their way to recovery.”

“Seems those Russian air defenses didn’t quite work so well, did they?” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said.

Maduro Seized, Taken to New York to Face Charges

Trump announced that U.S. special forces captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in Caracas. They were flown to New York and appeared in Manhattan federal court on Jan. 5 to face drug charges. Both pleaded not guilty.

The raid followed months of pressure on Venezuela and a series of strikes in Latin American waters targeting alleged drug traffickers. The Trump administration has long said it does not recognize Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate leader and has accused him of running a drug cartel. Trump said in December it would be “smart” for Maduro to step down.

Legal and Political Backlash in Washington

The administration has framed the operation as a law enforcement action. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Congress did not need to approve it because it was not an “invasion.”

Some lawmakers disagreed.

“This has been a profound constitutional failure,” Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said Jan. 3. “Congress — not the President — has the sole power to authorize war. Pursuing regime change without the consent of the American people is a reckless overreach and an abuse of power.”

“The question now is not whether Maduro deserved removal. It is what precedent the United States has just set and what comes next.”

Editorial Disclosure:
This article first appeared on SurgeZirc. It is republished on SurgeZirc SA as part of the SurgeZirc Media global network, which operates multiple regional publications under shared editorial oversight.

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