The Aircraft Behind the U.S. Raid on Venezuela

Surprise attack involves fighters, bombers, utility helicopters, and uncrewed drones.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, January 06, 2026 at 04:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

F-22 Raptor [Credit: U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. conducted "Operation Absolute Resolve" in Venezuela, involving over 150 aircraft, resulting in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.
The highly complex mission deployed a wide range of advanced aerial assets, including stealth fighters, bombers, electronic warfare aircraft, and numerous drones.
The operation notably included the alleged first combat use by the U.S. of kamikaze-style drones, alongside the RQ-170 Sentinel stealth drone.
U.S. Space and Cyber Commands supported the mission by disrupting Venezuelan communications and air defenses, causing widespread power outages.

See a mistake? Contact us.

More than 150 aircraft took part in the U.S. attack on Venezuela on Saturday, including some reportedly deployed for the first time or in novel situations.

The mission, code-named Operation Absolute Resolve, saw fighters and bombers strike communications infrastructure and military sites while Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were arrested at their compound in Caracas. The two were taken on board the USS Iwo Jima before being flown to New York.