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The US claim the military operation to capture the South American nation's leader involved many weeks of planning, yet the moment Donald Trump issued the command to commence, "Operation Absolute Resolve" only lasted roughly 150 minutes.

The shocking early-morning strike on Saturday represented a never-before-seen event within contemporary international relations and led directly to the arrest of Nicolás Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores.

Seized by soldiers from an elite American military force as they attempted to flee into a fortified secure chamber, the couple are now detained at a holding facility in New York and face narco-terrorism accusations.

A Early Morning Raid against Fuerte Tiuna

As the sun rose on Saturday, the scale of the armed intervention in Caracas, Venezuela's primary city, became apparent.

Pictures from the vast military base, a huge army installation in which senior leadership live, depict blasted buildings as well as burned, smoking cars.

It was at this base that the president and first lady were apprehended, a senior political figure a party official indicated.

Hours Before - The President Gives the Order

"Operation Absolute Resolve" began amid reports of blasts at about 2 AM in Caracas (6:00 Greenwich Mean Time).

American forces disabled electricity to the city, Trump has since said, calling it pitch black and dangerous.

The goal was to neutralize the nation's air defense systems and clear the path for American assault helicopters to reach the target.

Our evaluation was that we successfully kept totally the element of surprise", a senior military officer stated.

Targeted sites encompassed the base, a port and an airfield. Images depict the complex engulfed in flames, with huge flames seen from a great distance.

Residents reported how US military helicopters flew at low altitude over Caracas, heading for Fuerte Tiuna.

A number of the aircraft came under fire, however were still able to fly, military leaders said.

There was significant weapons fire," Trump noted.

The Lightning-Fast On-the-Ground Operation

After landing, troops from the US Army's Delta Force, sprang into action.

They gained access to the compound at 02:01 Caracas time, and the Maduros "gave up" without a struggle, according to accounts.

But, more details were provided. They attempted to flee into a safe place, referred to as a military "fortress".

The secure room was constructed of steel, and he failed to make it to the door because our guys were too quick.

It featured an extremely heavy door, a massive door," the President informed the media. He reached to the door. He was unable to shut it."

However, even assuming they had succeeded to enter the bunker, troops could have breached it in approximately "under a minute."

From Caracas to Manhattan

Now in US custody, the couple were transported some 3,400 kilometers, to New York City.

They were flown out of Caracas by helicopter, and transferred to the USS Iwo Jima, a warship stationed in the Caribbean. The team was back in international waters by 04:29.

Aboard the vessel that an iconic image from the entire mission was captured - the president in handcuffs, with hearing protection and a type of blindfold resembling opaque glasses.

From the USS Iwo Jima, he was first flown to the US Navy base in Cuba.

The Maduros then traveled on a government plane to Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York, and then via helicopter into New York City.

Facing Justice in American Soil

That same day, a video emerged depicting Maduro inside the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) headquarters in New York.

The couple are now detained at a federal holding facility within the city.

They have been charged including conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism and import cocaine, possession of automatic weapons and explosives, and conspiracy to acquire such weapons and destructive devices to use against America.

They are set to encounter the full wrath of American justice in the United States in American courts," the Attorney General proclaimed.

Video documents the leader's entry in US and transport to detention.