U.S. officials reveal new details on the covert operation to capture Maduro
CBS News••general
Key Points:
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth detailed a covert U.S. operation involving around 200 troops that surprised Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro at his Caracas residence, with Maduro receiving no warning until minutes before the raid.
- The operation included airstrikes on Venezuelan defenses by fighter jets and bombers, enabling Delta Force commandos to engage Maduro's compound under heavy fire, resulting in injuries to several U.S. soldiers and significant casualties among Venezuelan and Cuban forces.
- The raid was meticulously planned and rehearsed for months using a replica of Maduro's residence, emphasizing repetition and redundancy to ensure mission success without errors.
- Intelligence for the operation was gathered over several months by CIA agents inside Venezuela, including one who infiltrated Maduro's inner circle to
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