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The US claim the military operation aimed at apprehending the South American nation's president required months of careful preparation, but when the US President gave the order to launch, the mission dubbed "Absolute Resolve" was completed in about 150 minutes.

The surprise early-morning attack on Saturday signified a historic incident in contemporary international relations and resulted in the detention for Nicolás Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores.

Captured by troops belonging to an elite American military force when they attempted to escape inside a heavily secured safe room, the couple are now being held at a holding facility within New York City and face narco-terrorism accusations.

A Dawn Assault on Fuerte Tiuna

At sunrise on Saturday, the scale of the military operation in Caracas, the nation's capital, was clear.

Images from the vast military base, a huge military complex in which top government officials reside, depict blasted buildings as well as burned, smouldering vehicles.

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

Just Moments Before - Trump Gives the Order

The mission began amid reports of blasts at about 02:00 in Caracas (06:00 GMT).

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

The goal was to disable Venezuela's air defences and open up the way for US military helicopters to get to Fuerte Tiuna.

Our evaluation was that we had maintained totally the element of surprise", the top general commented.

Targeted sites encompassed the compound, a maritime facility and an airfield. Images depict Fuerte Tiuna engulfed in flames, with huge flames seen for miles.

Residents have described the way US military helicopters flew at low altitude above the city, en route to the military base.

A number of the aircraft were shot at, but were still able to fly, officials stated.

"It was significant weapons fire," Trump added.

A Rapid On-the-Ground Operation

After landing, troops from the US Army's Delta Force, moved quickly.

They gained access the facility just after 2 AM Caracas time, and the Maduros surrendered without a struggle, as per reports.

However, more details emerged. The Maduros tried to escape into a secure location, described as a heavily fortified bunker.

"The safe place was constructed of steel, and he failed to get inside because our guys were too quick.

It featured a very thick entryway, a massive door," Trump informed the media. He reached to the door. He was unable to shut it."

But even if they had managed to get into the bunker, forces could have blown it open in approximately "under a minute."

From Caracas to New York City

Now in US custody, the couple were moved approximately 3,400 kilometers, to Manhattan.

They were taken by air out of Caracas via chopper, and taken to the USS Iwo Jima, a naval vessel stationed in the Caribbean. The operation was completed "over the water" before 4:30 AM.

It was on the ship where one of the defining pictures from the entire mission was captured - the president shackled, wearing ear protectors and darkened eyewear resembling dark sunglasses.

From the USS Iwo Jima, his initial stop was at the American naval installation at Guantánamo Bay.

They were then flown on a government plane to a military airfield in New York, before a final helicopter transfer to Manhattan.

Facing The Legal System on American Soil

That same day, footage was released depicting Maduro at the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) main office in New York.

The couple are presently detained in a detention centre in the city.

They have been charged with planning narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking, owning machine guns and destructive devices, and plots to possess machine guns and bombs against the US.

They are set to encounter the complete force of the US legal system on American soil in American courts," the Attorney General declared.

Footage shows the leader's entry in US and journey to detention.