Overview
- President Donald Trump announced a large-scale operation in Venezuela and said Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out of the country.
- Major U.S. media attributed the arrest to the Army’s Delta Force, while official statements offered few operational details.
- Reports from Caracas said U.S. airstrikes hit military targets and also damaged civilian areas, including residential neighborhoods and infrastructure.
- Domestic pushback escalated as Senator Ruben Gallego called the action illegal and Senator Mike Lee questioned the constitutional basis in the absence of a war declaration or specific authorization.
- International reaction hardened with Russia labeling the move armed aggression, Iran condemning it as unlawful, and several European governments urging restraint, even as U.S. signals on further action remained mixed.