Footage Suggests 'Black Program' Stealth Drone May Have Supported Delta Force In Maduro Capture Operation
Our reporting on Saturday, spanning from early morning through late night, covered the incremental developments as U.S. Delta Force operators successfully executed Operation Absolute Resolve. This operation led to the capture of Venezuelan socialist leader Nicolás Maduro, his immediate transport to the U.S., and the filing of federal charges in New York, including a highly visible "perp walk" designed to send a clear message to other left-wing-controlled countries in the Western Hemisphere that America is back.
In a late-night press briefing, Gen. Dan "Razin" Caine disclosed that the operation involved the deployment of more than 150 air assets, underscoring the air-dominant posture of the Delta Force-led mission.
"Last night, on the order of the President of the United States and in support of a request from the Department of Justice, as the President said, the United States military conducted an apprehension mission in Caracas, Venezuela, to bring to justice two indicted persons, Nicolás and Cecilia Maduro," Caine told reporters.
He continued:
"This operation, known as Operation Absolute Resolve, was discreet and precise, conducted during the darkest hours of January 2nd, and was the culmination of months of planning and rehearsal, an operation that, frankly, only the United States military could undertake.
In an unprecedented operation, we leveraged our unmatched intelligence capabilities and years of experience hunting terrorists. We could not have accomplished this mission without the extraordinary work of multiple intelligence agencies, including the CIA, NSA, and NGA.
We watched, we waited, we prepared, and remained patient and professional. This mission was meticulously planned, drawing lessons from decades of operations. It was an audacious effort that only the United States could execute. It required the highest level of precision and integration within our joint force.
Even the word 'integration' fails to capture the sheer complexity of this mission."
Caine then revealed a key operational detail:
Such a precise extraction involved more than 150 aircraft launching across the Western Hemisphere in close coordination, all converging at the right time and place to layer effects for a single purpose: inserting an interdiction force into downtown Caracas while maintaining tactical surprise.
Failure of any single component would have endangered the entire mission, and failure is never an option for America's joint force. Those in the air over Caracas last night were prepared to give their lives for those on the ground and aboard the helicopters."
Gen. Dan "Razin" Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: "This operation, known as Operation Absolute Resolve, was discreet, precise, and… the culmination of months of planning and rehearsal — an operation that, frankly, only the United States military could undertake." pic.twitter.com/VdcL5kbu7j
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 3, 2026
Caine did not specify what the "150 aircraft" consisted of, but some open-source intelligence accounts on X shared footage that appears to show a stealth unmanned aerial vehicle used during the operation.
Clash Report posted footage that appears to show an RQ-170 Sentinel drone returning to a U.S. military base in Puerto Rico following the operation.
The stealth drone, a flying-wing platform with radar-absorbing skin designed to minimize detection, was likely tasked with covert surveillance to support the raid, the capture of Maduro, and any related kinetic operations.
VERY RARE: Footage shows a U.S. RQ-170 stealth drone returning to Puerto Rico after reportedly supporting last night’s U.S. strikes on Venezuela.
The RQ-170 Sentinel is a stealthy, high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle developed by Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works. pic.twitter.com/R2qQI3TyvK
— Clash Report (@clashreport) January 3, 2026
There has been no confirmation from the Department of War that the RQ-170 was involved in yesterday's operations in Venezuela.
Tyler Durden
Sun, 01/04/2026 – 22:45