Officials describe 'Operation Absolute Resolve' as a coordinated night extraction

The chairman identified in the briefing described the mission as "Operation Absolute Resolve," a months-long interagency effort that officials said required integration of air, ground, space and maritime assets. He said the president ordered the mission at "10:46PM eastern time last night" and that "more than a 150 aircraft" launched from bases across the hemisphere to provide layered effects and ensure surprise.

Officials described helicopter insertion at low altitude into Caracas, disabling of Venezuelan air defenses, and an exfiltration that returned the force to afloat bases; the chairman said one aircraft was hit but remained flyable and that the force was over water at "03:29 AM Eastern Standard Time with indicted persons on board." The briefing stressed planning to minimize civilian harm and to preserve tactical surprise; those operational claims were presented by U.S. officials and were not independently verified during the briefing.