From that Venezuelan capital stronghold all the way to the New York courtroom: The Venezuelan leader's capture in pictures and maps.

American officials assert their military operation to capture Venezuela's leader involved months of planning, however the moment the US President issued the command to launch, the mission dubbed "Absolute Resolve" was completed in approximately two and a half hours.

The shocking pre-dawn strike on Saturday represented a historic incident within contemporary international relations and led directly to the arrest for Venezuela's president and his wife, Cilia Flores de Maduro.

Captured by soldiers from a top-tier US army unit when they attempted to flee into a heavily secured safe room, the two are now detained at a holding facility within New York City and face drug trafficking and terrorism indictments.

The Dawn Raid against Fuerte Tiuna

As the sun rose that morning, the magnitude of the military operation in Caracas, the nation's capital, was clear.

Images from the vast military base, a massive army installation in which senior leadership reside, show bombed out buildings and burned, smoking vehicles.

It was at this compound that the president and first lady were apprehended, a senior political figure Nahum Fernández indicated.

Just Moments Before - Trump Gives the Command

The mission commenced with reports of blasts at approximately 2 AM local time (6:00 Greenwich Mean Time).

American forces disabled electricity across the capital, Trump has since said, describing it as "dark and deadly".

The aim was to neutralize the nation's air defences and open up the way for US military helicopters to reach the target.

Our evaluation was that we successfully kept totally the advantage of surprise," the top general stated.

Targeted sites encompassed the compound, a port and an airport. Images depict Fuerte Tiuna engulfed in flames, with massive fires seen from a great distance.

Venezuelans reported the way US military helicopters flew at low altitude over Caracas, heading for Fuerte Tiuna.

Some of the helicopters were shot at, but managed to continue flying, officials stated.

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

A Rapid On-the-Ground Operation

Once on the ground, forces from an elite special operations unit, sprang into action.

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

But, more details emerged. The Maduros attempted to flee into a safe place, referred to as a military "fortress".

"The safe place was constructed of steel, and he failed to get inside because our guys were too quick.

It featured a very thick door, a massive door," the President told reporters. "He made it to the door. He could not to shut it."

However, even assuming they had succeeded to get into the bunker, forces could have blown it open in about "under a minute."

From Caracas to Manhattan

Now in US custody, the couple were transported some 2,100 miles, to New York City.

They were taken by air from the capital via chopper, and taken to the USS Iwo Jima, a naval vessel positioned in the Caribbean. The operation was completed in international waters before 4:30 AM.

It was on the ship that one of the defining pictures from the entire mission was captured - Maduro in handcuffs, wearing ear protectors and darkened eyewear resembling dark sunglasses.

After leaving the ship, his initial stop was at the American naval installation in Cuba.

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

Confronting The Legal System in US Territory

That same day, footage emerged depicting Maduro at the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) headquarters in New York.

The couple are now detained at a federal holding facility in the city.

They have been charged including planning drug-related terrorism and import cocaine, possession of automatic weapons and explosives, and conspiracy to possess such weapons and bombs to use against America.

"They will soon face the complete force of the US legal system on American soil in American courts," the Attorney General declared.

Footage documents the leader's entry into American and journey into custody.