U.S. Army helicopter spotted over Venezuela [Reuters Yonhap News]

It has been confirmed that the Trump administration thoroughly prepared a surprise operation to arrest Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, tracking his every move and conducting rehearsals for months.

At a press conference held at President Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Kain briefed the operation, codenamed 'Operation Absolute Resolve,' to capture President Maduro.

Chairman Kain stated that President Donald Trump ordered the commencement of the operation at 10:46 PM EST on the 2nd.

In response, over 150 aircraft from 20 ground and sea bases in the Western Hemisphere launched towards Venezuela.

F-22, F-35, F-18 fighter jets, EA-18 electronic warfare aircraft, E-2 early warning aircraft, B-1 bombers, support aircraft, and numerous remotely piloted drones from the Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and National Guard were mobilized.

Helicopters carrying the troops tasked with capturing President Maduro flew at a low altitude of 100 feet (approximately 30 meters) above the surface to avoid detection on their way to the target.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Delta Force, the elite special forces of the Army, and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, known as the 'Night Stalkers,' were assigned the capture mission.

The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment transported Navy SEALs to Pakistan during the operation to assassinate Osama bin Laden in 2011 and utilizes helicopters such as Chinooks and Black Hawks.

Chairman Kain stated that as the airpower approached Caracas, Venezuela, they neutralized Venezuela's air defense systems to secure safe passage and provide cover for helicopters and ground troops, noting that the operation achieved "complete surprise."

The helicopters arrived at President Maduro's safe house at 01:01 AM EST on the 3rd (02:01 AM local time in Venezuela) and moved swiftly to apprehend President Maduro.

During this process, one U.S. Army helicopter was hit by Venezuelan forces but remained airborne, and all aircraft returned after completing their missions.

Chairman Kain said that no U.S. personnel were killed in this operation.

The United States, which had been pressuring Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro regime and warning of military action, launched an airstrike on Venezuela. U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he had successfully attacked Venezuela and President Maduro, and that Maduro had been arrested and extradited. X (Twitter) @yonhap_graphics Facebook tuney.kr/LeYN1Chairman Kain announced that President Maduro and his wife had surrendered and that the U.S. Department of Justice had arrested them.

According to CNN reports, U.S. forces pulled President and Mrs. Maduro from their bedroom in the middle of the night, and President Trump released a photo of President Maduro being escorted away in a gray tracksuit.

President Trump told the press conference that President Maduro had tried to flee to a "safe place" with thick steel doors, but the U.S. military acted quickly to prevent this, adding, "He made it to the door, but he couldn't close it."

When asked if he had considered shooting President Maduro if he resisted, President Trump replied, "That could have happened," and stated that there was significant resistance and gunfire.

The U.S. forces who arrested President and Mrs. Maduro departed the operational area by helicopter under the cover of fighter jets and drones.

Despite multiple engagements with Venezuelan forces during this process, U.S. forces left Venezuelan territory at 03:29 AM (EST) and returned to the USS Iwo Jima with President and Mrs. Maduro.

Chairman Kain explained that prior to this operation, intelligence agencies spent months preparing to "track Maduro's movements, where he lived, where he traveled, what he ate, what he wore, and what pets he had."

He stated that the U.S. military completed preparations for the operation in early December of last year, but waited for the opportune moment, extending past Christmas and New Year to minimize civilian casualties, maximize surprise, and reduce the possibility of President Maduro being injured. They determined that the weather conditions the previous night were favorable.

According to Reuters, the U.S. military created a replica of President Maduro's safe house and practiced infiltration methods.

The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had dispatched small teams to the area since August to monitor President Maduro's activities and possessed intelligence assets close to President Maduro that could determine his exact whereabouts.

Venezuelan President Maduro arrested and escorted by U.S. forces. [Washington=Yonhap News]