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The US state the military operation aimed at apprehending Venezuela's president involved many weeks of planning, however the moment Donald Trump gave the command to launch, "Operation Absolute Resolve" was completed in approximately 150 minutes.

The surprise early-morning strike on Saturday represented a historic incident in contemporary international relations and culminated in the detention of Nicolás Maduro along with his wife, Cilia Flores de Maduro.

Apprehended by soldiers from a top-tier US army unit when they attempted to flee inside a heavily secured secure chamber, the pair are now detained in a detention centre in New York and are confronting narco-terrorism charges.

The Dawn Raid on Fuerte Tiuna

As the sun rose that morning, the magnitude of the armed intervention in Caracas, Venezuela's capital, was evident.

Photographs from the vast military base, a huge military complex in which key officials live, reveal bombed out buildings and burned, smouldering vehicles.

It was at this compound where Maduro and his wife were captured, a senior political figure a party official stated.

Hours Earlier - Trump Gives the Order

"Operation Absolute Resolve" started with reports of explosions around 02:00 in Caracas (6:00 Greenwich Mean Time).

American forces cut power across the capital, Trump later described, calling it "dark and deadly".

The aim was to neutralize the nation's air defences and open up the path for American assault helicopters to reach the target.

Our evaluation was that we had maintained completely the advantage of surprise," the top general stated.

Targeted sites included the compound, a maritime facility and an airport. Images depict the complex on fire, with huge flames visible for miles.

Residents have described how US military helicopters flew low over Caracas, heading for the military base.

Some of the helicopters came under fire, but managed to continue flying, military leaders said.

"It was significant weapons fire," the President noted.

A Lightning-Fast Ground Assault

Once on the ground, forces from the US Army's Delta Force, moved quickly.

They entered the facility at 02:01 Caracas time, and the presidential couple surrendered without resistance, according to reports.

However, further information were provided. The Maduros tried to escape into a safe place, described as a heavily fortified bunker.

"The safe place is all steel, and he failed to make it to the door as our personnel were so fast.

"It was a very thick door, a massive door," Trump told reporters. "He made it to the door. He could not to shut it."

However, even assuming they had managed to get into the safe room, troops could have blown it open in about "under a minute."

From Caracas to Manhattan

Currently under American detention, Nicolás Maduro and his wife were moved approximately 2,100 miles, to New York City.

They were flown out of Caracas via chopper, and transferred to a US warship, a warship positioned off the coast. The operation was completed "over the water" by 04:29.

Aboard the vessel that one of the defining pictures of the whole operation emerged - Maduro in handcuffs, wearing ear protectors and darkened eyewear resembling opaque glasses.

From the USS Iwo Jima, he was first flown to the US Navy base at Guantánamo Bay.

They were then flown on a government plane to Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York, and then via helicopter into New York City.

Facing The Legal System on American Soil

That same day, a video emerged showing the detainee at the federal drug agency's headquarters in New York.

He and Cilia Flores are now being held at a federal holding facility within the city.

They face charges including conspiracy to commit drug-related terrorism and import cocaine, possession of automatic weapons and destructive devices, and plots to possess machine guns and destructive devices to use against America.

They are set to encounter the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts," the Attorney General declared.

Footage shows the leader's entry in US and transport into custody.