Seven U.S. service members were injured during the covert military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, according to a War Department official who spoke to Fox News Digital on Tuesday.

Five of the injured personnel have already resumed their duties, while two remain in recovery. “They are receiving excellent medical care and are well on their way to recovery,” the official stated. “The fact that this extremely complex and grueling mission was successfully executed with so few injuries is a testament to the expertise of our joint warriors.”

The high-stakes operation, code-named “Operation Absolute Resolve,” took place early Saturday morning when U.S. forces landed in Caracas, Venezuela. The mission was spearheaded by Delta Force, the Army’s elite special operations unit, with the primary objective of apprehending Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

Officials reported that the raid resulted in the deaths of 24 Venezuelan security personnel and 32 Cuban military and police officers who were responsible for guarding the Venezuelan leader. Although Venezuelan authorities have claimed civilian casualties occurred during the operation, these assertions have not been independently verified by international observers.

General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, revealed that President Trump ordered the “apprehension mission” on Friday night. The operation involved an impressive show of military force, deploying 150 aircraft, including B-1 Lancer bombers and helicopters from 20 different military bases across the region.

Intelligence officers had reportedly tracked Maduro’s movements for months in preparation for the operation. When the mission commenced at 2:10 a.m. local time, U.S. forces simultaneously launched a sophisticated cyber attack that left much of Caracas without power, effectively crippling the city’s communication infrastructure and creating favorable conditions for the raid.

Despite encountering resistance that damaged one helicopter, U.S. forces maintained operational capability throughout the mission, which lasted approximately two and a half hours. Following the successful capture, Maduro and his wife were transported to New York to face federal charges including drug trafficking and narco-terrorism.

The operation marks a dramatic escalation in U.S. policy toward Venezuela, a country that sits atop the world’s largest proven oil reserves and has been subject to American sanctions for years. Under Maduro’s leadership since 2013, Venezuela has experienced severe economic decline, humanitarian crises, and allegations of electoral fraud that have led to international condemnation.

During his first U.S. court appearance, Maduro reportedly declared himself a “prisoner of war,” highlighting the geopolitical tensions surrounding his capture. The raid has drawn mixed reactions internationally, with U.S. allies largely supporting the action while countries aligned with Venezuela, including Cuba and Russia, have condemned it as a violation of international law.

The operation has also triggered repercussions within Venezuela, where motorcycle-riding armed militias loyal to Maduro’s regime have reportedly begun hunting for Trump supporters across the country, intensifying concerns about potential civil unrest and reprisals.

Regional experts suggest that the power vacuum created by Maduro’s removal could lead to significant political realignment in Latin America, potentially affecting oil markets and migration patterns across the hemisphere. Venezuela’s oil industry, once the cornerstone of its economy, has suffered severe deterioration under Maduro’s rule and international sanctions.

As Maduro awaits trial in the United States, questions remain about the future governance of Venezuela and the long-term implications of this unprecedented military action in the Western Hemisphere.