Jan 3, 2026 - World

U.S. had 150 aircraft in the sky during Maduro raid

Colin Demarest

Two men stand before a blue curtain. One wears a blue suit with a striped tie, the other a decorated military uniform holding a blue folder beside a flag with a presidential seal. — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine at Mar-a-Lago on Jan. 3. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

The U.S. employed more than 150 aircraft, including high-end bombers, helicopters and drones, in a dramatic overnight raid in Caracas, Venezuela, according to President Trump and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine.

Why it matters: The hourslong operation — criticized by American lawmakers and foreign countries alike — was "audacious" and required the "utmost precision and integration," Caine said at a Mar-a-Lago briefing on Jan. 3.

Zoom in: Aircraft launched from 20 different locations "on land and sea across the Western Hemisphere," according to Caine.

They included F/A-18s, EA-18s, F-22s, F-35s, E-2s, B-1 bombers and "numerous remotely piloted drones."
Venezuela's air defenses were dismantled, Caine said, ensuring "the safe passage of the helicopters into the target area." (Images of destroyed air-defense systems, likely a Russian-made Buk, have emerged.)

The intrigue: Footage circulating on social media appears to show 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment MH-47 Chinooks.

The Night Stalkers, as the regiment is known, train extensively for nighttime operations inside dangerous territory.

Zoom out: The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and Cyber and Space commands all had a hand in the operation, according to Caine.

"We watched. We waited. We prepared," he said. "This mission was meticulously planned."

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U.S. had 150 aircraft in the sky during Maduro raid

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