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American officials state the military operation to capture the South American nation's president took months of planning, but the moment the US President issued the order to launch, the mission dubbed "Absolute Resolve" concluded after roughly 150 minutes.

The surprise pre-dawn attack on Saturday marked a never-before-seen incident within contemporary international relations and resulted in the detention of Nicolás Maduro along with his spouse, Cilia Flores.

Apprehended by troops belonging to an elite US army unit as they tried to escape inside a heavily secured panic room, the pair are now being held in a detention centre in New York and face drug trafficking and terrorism charges.

A Dawn Raid against the Military Complex

With daybreak on Saturday, the magnitude of the military operation in the capital, Venezuela's primary city, was clear.

Images from the vast military base, an enormous military complex in which key officials live, show destroyed buildings as well as burned, smoking vehicles.

It was at this base where the president and first lady were apprehended, Venezuelan ruling party leader a party official reported.

Just Moments Before - Trump Gives the Order

"Operation Absolute Resolve" began with reports of explosions around 02:00 in Caracas (6:00 Greenwich Mean Time).

The US cut power to the city, the President has since said, describing it as "dark and deadly".

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

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

Strike locations included the base, a port and an airfield. Images depict the complex engulfed in flames, with huge flames visible for miles.

Venezuelans reported the way US military helicopters flew at low altitude above the city, en route to Fuerte Tiuna.

A number of the aircraft came under fire, but were still able to fly, military leaders stated.

"It was significant gunfire," Trump added.

The Rapid On-the-Ground Operation

After landing, forces from the US Army's Delta Force, sprang into action.

They gained access to the compound at 02:01 Caracas time, and the presidential couple "gave up" without resistance, as per accounts.

But, further information were provided. The Maduros tried to escape into a secure location, described as a heavily fortified bunker.

The secure room is all steel, and he wasn't able to get to the door as our personnel were too quick.

"It was an extremely heavy entryway, a massive door," Trump told reporters. "He made it the entrance. He was unable to close it."

But even if they had succeeded to enter the safe room, troops could have breached it in approximately "under a minute."

From the Capital to New York City

Now in US custody, Nicolás Maduro and his wife were transported some 2,100 miles, to New York City.

They were taken by air from the capital via chopper, and taken to a US warship, a naval vessel positioned off the coast. The team was back "over the water" by 04:29.

It was on the ship that an iconic image from the entire mission emerged - Maduro shackled, wearing ear protectors and a type of blindfold resembling dark sunglasses.

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

They were then flown via official aircraft to a military airfield in New York state, before a final helicopter transfer to Manhattan.

Facing Justice on American Soil

On Saturday, footage emerged showing Maduro at the federal drug agency's headquarters in the city.

He and Cilia Flores are now detained at a federal holding facility within the city.

They face charges with planning drug-related terrorism and cocaine trafficking, owning automatic weapons and explosives, and conspiracy to acquire such weapons and destructive devices against the US.

They are set to encounter the complete force of American justice in the United States within US courtrooms," a senior legal official declared.

Footage documents Maduro's arrival into American and transport into custody.