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The US state the military operation aimed at apprehending Venezuela's leader involved many weeks of planning, yet when Donald Trump issued the command to commence, the mission dubbed "Absolute Resolve" concluded after approximately 150 minutes.

The unexpected early-morning strike this past weekend marked a never-before-seen event in modern politics and culminated in the arrest of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

Apprehended by troops belonging to a top-tier US army unit when they tried to flee into a heavily secured panic room, the pair are currently in custody in a detention centre in New York and are confronting narco-terrorism accusations.

A Early Morning Raid against Fuerte Tiuna

With daybreak that morning, the scale of the military operation in the capital, Venezuela's primary city, became apparent.

Pictures from the vast military base, an enormous army installation where senior leadership live, show destroyed buildings as well as charred, smouldering vehicles.

It was at this facility that the president and first lady were apprehended, a senior political figure a party official indicated.

Just Moments Earlier - The President Issues the Command

"Operation Absolute Resolve" commenced amid reports of explosions at about 2 AM local time (6:00 Greenwich Mean Time).

American forces disabled electricity across the capital, the President later described, calling it "dark and deadly".

The objective was to disable the nation's air defense systems and open up the path for American assault helicopters to reach Fuerte Tiuna.

"We assessed that we successfully kept totally the element of surprise", a senior military officer commented.

Targeted sites included the base, a port and an airfield. Images depict Fuerte Tiuna engulfed in flames, with huge flames seen from a great distance.

Residents reported how American choppers flew at low altitude above the city, en route to Fuerte Tiuna.

Some of the helicopters came under fire, but were still able to fly, officials said.

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

The Rapid On-the-Ground Operation

Once on the ground, forces from the US Army's Delta Force, sprang into action.

They gained access to the compound at 02:01 local time, and the presidential couple surrendered without a struggle, as per accounts.

However, more details emerged. The Maduros attempted to flee into a safe place, referred to as a heavily fortified bunker.

"The safe place is all steel, and he wasn't able to make it to the door as our personnel were too quick.

"It was a very thick entryway, a massive door," the President informed the media. He reached to the door. He was unable to shut it."

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

From the Capital to New York City

Now in US custody, Nicolás Maduro and his wife were transported approximately 3,400 kilometers, to Manhattan.

They were flown out of Caracas by helicopter, and taken to the USS Iwo Jima, a naval vessel positioned off the coast. The operation was completed in international waters before 4:30 AM.

It was on the ship that one of the defining pictures of the whole operation emerged - Maduro in handcuffs, with hearing protection and a type of blindfold resembling opaque glasses.

After leaving the ship, he was first flown to the US Navy base in Cuba.

The Maduros then traveled on a government plane to Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York state, before a final helicopter transfer into New York City.

Facing The Legal System in American Soil

That same day, a video emerged depicting Maduro inside the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) main office in New York.

The couple are presently being held at a federal holding facility in the city.

They face charges including conspiracy to commit drug-related terrorism and import cocaine, owning machine guns and explosives, and conspiracy to acquire such weapons and destructive devices to use against America.

They are set to encounter the complete force of the US legal system in the United States within US courtrooms," the Attorney General proclaimed.

Footage shows the leader's entry in US and transport to detention.