The first Saturday of 2026 will be remembered as the day the "Monroe Doctrine" was rebranded for a new era. At 2:00 AM local time on January 3, the United States launched Operation Absolute Resolve , a high-intensity military intervention in Venezuela that resulted in the stunning capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. While tensions had been simmering throughout late 2025 under the naval blockade known as Operation Southern Spear, the transition to kinetic warfare was swift and overwhelming. President Donald Trump, addressing the nation just hours after the initial explosions, characterized the move as a final strike against a "narco-state" and a decisive step to secure American interests in the region. From the tactical brilliance of Delta Force to the controversial "Donroe Doctrine," here are the Top 10 Critical Matters regarding the US strikes in Venezuela. 1. The Launch of Operation Absolute Resolve The operation began with surgical precision. At 23:46 VET on January 2, the order was given to proceed without prior notification to the US Congress. By 2:00 AM on January 3, at least seven major explosions rocked the northern coast of Venezuela, including La Guaira and the capital, Caracas. The administration cited the "imminent threat" of narco-terrorism as the legal basis for the incursion. The opening minutes of Operation Absolute Resolve: Airstrikes hit military targets across northern Venezuela in the early hours of January 3, 2026. 2. The Aerial Blitz: 150 Aircraft Over Caracas This was no minor skirmish. The US deployed a fleet of over 150 aircraft from the Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. The lineup included the F-22A Raptor , F-35A/C Lightning II , and B-1B Lancer bombers. These assets targeted Venezuela’s air defense systems (including the S-300 batteries) and the Fuerte Tiuna military headquarters to ensure total air superiority within the first 60 minutes of the campaign. 3. The Capture of Nicolás Maduro: Delta Force in Action The "decapitation" of the regime was executed by the US Army’s elite Delta Force . In a ground operation supported by Black Hawk and Apache helicopters, Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores were seized from their residence on a military base. Reports indicate the extraction was completed with minimal US casualties, and the couple was immediately flown to a US warship in the Caribbean before being transported to New York. Special Operations: Delta Force units executing the high-stakes capture of Nicolás Maduro during the peak of the aerial bombardment. 4. Charges in New York: The Narco-Terrorism Indictment Upon landing in New York on Saturday evening, Maduro was escorted in shackles to face federal charges. Attorney General Pam Bondi released a superseding indictment accusing Maduro of a decade-long narco-terrorism conspiracy, involving the "Cartel of the Suns" and working with designated terrorist organizations to "flood the US with cocaine." This legal maneuver frames the military action not as an act of war, but as a "law enforcement operation at scale." 5. "The Donroe Doctrine": Trump’s Strategic Vision In a press conference that will be studied by historians for decades, President Trump characterized the intervention as an application of the "Donroe Doctrine" (a play on the 1823 Monroe Doctrine). He stated that American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will "never be questioned again" and that the US is prepared to use force to ensure "stability and prosperity" in its own backyard. The 'Donroe Doctrine': A new era of US hemispheric policy that prizes regional primacy and the proactive removal of adversarial regimes. 6. The Oil Factor: Taking Control of Reserves The economic motivation was stated clearly: Venezuela holds the world's largest proven oil reserves. Trump announced that the US would "fix the badly broken oil infrastructure" and that American oil companies would invest billions to get the crude flowing again. He indicated that the cost of the military operation would be "reimbursed through revenue from Venezuela’s oil," effectively making the transition self-funding for the US taxpayer. 7. Domestic Chaos: Power Outages and Flight Bans The strikes had immediate civilian impacts. The southern areas of Caracas lost power shortly after the first waves. The FAA issued a notice prohibiting US aircraft from operating in Venezuelan airspace, citing "ongoing military activity." This resulted in hundreds of flight cancellations across the Caribbean, leaving thousands of travelers stranded as the region adjusted to the sudden conflict. Blackout: Infrastructure damage and tactical power cuts left large swaths of Caracas in darkness as military operations continued into Sunday. 8. Venezuela’s Response: Delcy Rodríguez Steps In Despite Maduro’s capture, the regime has not fully collapsed. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was ordered by the Supreme Tribunal of Justice to assume the role of acting President. She condemned the capture as an "illegal