Venezuela Toppled: Inside ‘Operation Southern Spear’- What Is US Delta Force, The Ghost Unit That Just Snatched Maduro? | VIDEO | World News
The U.S. Army’s 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta successfully captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores before dawn on Saturday, January 3, in what has been described as the most daring special operations mission in the history of special operations.
The raid, which was carried out simultaneously with the “large-scale” attacks in Caracas, was, as President Donald Trump noted in his statement, the first direct takeover of a head of state by US Special Forces since the 1989 invasion of Panama that captured Manuel Noriega.
Mission: A ‘Great’ Midnight Expedition
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The raid was part of Operation Southern Spear. The operation was carried out by the Joint Special Operations Command. At around 2 a.m., U.S. missiles hit Venezuelan military hangars and communications nodes at La Carlota Air Base and Fuerte Tiuna. Delta Force reportedly arrived with CH-47 Chinook helicopters.
US officials confirmed to CBS News that Maduro’s secure residence had indeed been entered, and the leader and his wife were captured without any loss of life in the US. The mission was described by Trump as “excellent” and credited “great planning and great troops.”
Who is Delta Force?
Delta Force is the United States military’s most secretive and lethal special mission unit. Created in the wake of the Iran Hostage Crisis in 1977, this unit was designed for high-risk missions that other units in the military could not perform.
Fighting Force: Despite the number of members exceeding 1000, the number of “operators” entering the fight is between 250 and 300.
Deadly Training: Selection has a notorious 90% failure rate. Operators are experts in Close Quarters Combat (CQB), High Altitude parachuting and precision sniping.
Expertise: “Black Ops”—missions are so sensitive that they are often not officially approved. Its main roles are:
Fighting Terrorism: Countering the global threats of ISIS, Al Qaeda and terrorist organizations
HVT Operations: The act of capturing or eliminating High Value Targets
Hostage Rescue: Private rescue of citizens captured in enemy territory.
US special forces (Delta Force) have just landed in Caracus. #Venezuelan. pic.twitter.com/1fko0kmqtj— RKM (@rkmtimes) January 3, 2026
Delta Force Legend: From Baghdad to Caracas
This historic capture opens an important page in the secret history of Delta Force. Delta Force’s history has been marked by many important events:
- 2019: The raid in Syria that resulted in the killing of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
- 2003: The capture and killing of Saddam Hussein’s sons, Uday and Qusay, in Iraq.
- 1993: Battle of Mogadishu (as depicted in the movie “Black Hawk Down”).
- 1989: Manuel Noriega was arrested in Panama during Operation Just Cause.
What Happens Next?
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Maduro is currently in US custody and will soon be flown to the US to stand trial on current narco-terrorism and drug trafficking charges. The Venezuelan government is demanding “proof of life” from the couple as the White House prepares for a news conference at 11 a.m. ET at Mar-a-Lago. Colombia moved its army from the border as tensions in the region approached collapse point.
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