Fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military complex, is seen from a distance after a series of explosions in Caracas on January 3, 2026. The US military was behind a series of strikes against the Venezuelan capital Caracas on Saturday, which reportedly led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, US media reported. Photo: AFP

The US military operation in Venezuela to seize the country’s president Nicolás Maduro showed new tactical adjustments compared with previous similar US actions, including the deployment of more advanced weapons, the application of drones and the role of the mole planted by the US intelligence agency, said a Chinese military affairs expert on Sunday, while stressing the unlawfulness and injustice of the US action.

Citing the top US general, General Dan Caine, Reuters reported on Sunday that the operation on Saturday involved more than 150 aircraft taking off from 20 bases around the Western Hemisphere, including F-35 and F-22 fighter jets, and B-1 bombers. Elite US troops, including the Army's Delta Force, created an exact replica of Maduro's safe house and practiced how they would enter the strongly fortified residence.

The CIA had a small team on the ground starting in August who were able to provide insight into Maduro's pattern of life that made grabbing him seamless, according to one source familiar with the matter, Reuters reported.

Two other sources told Reuters the intelligence agency also had an asset close to Maduro who would monitor his movements and was poised to pinpoint his exact location as the operation unfolded.

After analyzing the information now available to the public, Zhang Junshe, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Sunday that the US operation is characterized by the close coordination among its forces as well as tactical elements. He noted that the US military first dispatched more than 150 military aircraft to conduct air strikes on key targets in Venezuela, including air defense systems, which distracted the Venezuelan forces and provided cover for the infiltration operations by the US special forces into the Venezuelan president’s residence. The key to the success of the mission was that the US forces held the absolute superiority in terms of military might.

In the meantime, the US forces also likely deployed electronic warfare assets that paralyzed the Venezuelan capital’s power grid and command systems, so the Venezuelan military could not organize effective resistance, Zhang said.

Compared with previous US military operations, such as the Gulf War 35 years ago, Zhang noted some new tactical adjustments. He said that the US deployed more advanced weaponry and equipment, including the F-35 stealth fighter jets that likely suppressed the Venezuelan S-300 air defense systems. The second new change is the reported application of stealth drones, which conducted aerial surveillance over Venezuela and gathered intelligence on Maduro’s whereabouts. Another highlight is the bigger role of the mole planted by the CIA, who allegedly provided intelligence about Maduro. “This further demonstrated that the biggest weakness of a fortress often lies within it,” Zhang said.

But Zhang stressed that, “While we analyze the US military’s tactics, we must not ignore its operation’s unlawfulness and injustice.” He said that the US military operation to capture Maduro is an entirely illegal act of war. Whether US forces achieve this through frontal assaults or special operations infiltration, such "success" is by no means something to be praised.

Several countries have issued strong condemnations of the US for its attack on Venezuela.

On the US seizing Maduro and his wife, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Sunday that China expresses grave concern over the US forcibly seizing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife and taking them out of the country. The US move is in clear violation of international law, basic norms in international relations, and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

China calls on the US to ensure the personal safety of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, release them at once, stop toppling the government of Venezuela, and resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation, the spokesperson said.