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The US assert the military operation aimed at apprehending Venezuela's leader took months of careful preparation, however when the US President gave the command to launch, "Operation Absolute Resolve" was completed in roughly 150 minutes.

The surprise pre-dawn attack on Saturday marked a historic event in modern politics and resulted in the detention of Nicolás Maduro along with his wife, Cilia Flores de Maduro.

Captured by troops from a top-tier American military force while they tried to flee into a heavily secured safe room, the couple are currently in custody in a detention centre within New York City and face narco-terrorism charges.

A Early Morning Assault on the Military Complex

As the sun rose that morning, the scale of the military operation in the capital, the nation's capital, became apparent.

Photographs from the vast military base, a huge military complex in which key officials live, reveal bombed out structures as well as charred, smouldering vehicles.

The location was this compound where the president and first lady were captured, Venezuelan ruling party leader a party official reported.

Hours Earlier - The President Issues the Order

"Operation Absolute Resolve" started with reports of blasts at approximately 02:00 in Caracas (06:00 GMT).

American forces cut power to the city, Trump has since said, describing it as "dark and deadly".

The objective was to disable the nation's air defense systems and open up the way for US military helicopters to get to the target.

Our evaluation was that we had maintained totally the element of surprise", a senior military officer remarked.

Strike locations encompassed the base, a maritime facility and an airport. Images depict Fuerte Tiuna engulfed in flames, with massive fires visible from a great distance.

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 came under fire, however were still able to fly, military leaders stated.

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

The Lightning-Fast Ground Assault

After landing, troops from an elite special operations unit, sprang into action.

They gained access to the compound just after 2 AM Caracas time, and the presidential couple surrendered without resistance, as per reports.

However, more details were provided. The Maduros attempted to flee into a secure location, described as a military "fortress".

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

"It was an extremely heavy entryway, a very heavy door," Trump informed the media. He reached the entrance. He was unable to close it."

But even if they had managed to enter the safe room, troops could have blown it open in about "under a minute."

From Caracas to Manhattan

Now in US custody, the couple were transported some 2,100 miles, to New York City.

They were taken by air out of Caracas by helicopter, and transferred to a US warship, a warship positioned in the Caribbean. The team was completed in international waters before 4:30 AM.

It was on the ship where an iconic image from the entire mission emerged - the president shackled, with hearing protection and darkened eyewear that looked like dark sunglasses.

After leaving the ship, he was first flown at the American naval installation at Guantánamo Bay.

The Maduros then traveled on a government plane to a military airfield 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 Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) main office in New York.

He and Cilia Flores are now being held in a detention centre within the city.

They have been charged including conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism and import cocaine, possession of automatic weapons and explosives, and plots to acquire machine guns and bombs against the US.

They are set to encounter the full wrath of the US legal system on American soil within US courtrooms," the Attorney General proclaimed.

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