A Venezuelan security guard, speaking to local media, said all radar systems failed as the operation began, and drones appeared in the sky within seconds. “It felt like my head was about to explode,” he recounted. Soldiers were reportedly unable to stand or resist as U.S. forces quickly gained control.

The U.S. operation reportedly involved just eight helicopters carrying about twenty soldiers, yet they overwhelmed hundreds of Venezuelan troops. The White House Press Secretary, Caroline Leavitt, shared a firsthand account of the attack on social media platform X, though no official statement has confirmed the use of sonic weapons.

According to Venezuela’s Ministry of Interior, approximately 100 security personnel were killed during the operation. A former U.S. intelligence officer said the symptoms described are consistent with directed-energy weapons, which use focused energy such as microwaves or lasers to induce pain, bleeding, and temporary incapacitation.

Former President Donald Trump cited three major reasons for the operation: Venezuela posed a threat to U.S. security, was a major route for trafficking cocaine and fentanyl, and had policies driving large numbers of Venezuelans to migrate to the United States. Trump also claimed that Maduro’s government sent criminals from prisons and mental health facilities to the U.S.

Eyewitnesses described Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro hiding in a heavily fortified residence. U.S. forces reportedly rehearsed the operation for months, building replicas of Maduro’s home and learning personal details such as his daily routines and diet. The assault was executed in complete darkness, with Caracas’ city lights switched off, and concluded within 30 minutes amid at least seven explosions.

The operation has generated concern across Latin America, with Venezuelan security personnel warning that the incident could serve as a broader warning for countries opposing the U.S. The event highlights both the potential use of emerging military technologies and the rapidly evolving dynamics of U.S.-Venezuelan relations.