At least 40 people, including civilians and soldiers, were killed during a US military operation targeting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, according to a report published late Saturday by the New York Times. Citing a senior Venezuelan official who spoke on condition of anonymity, the report said at least 40 people died in the attack. US officials told the newspaper that the operation involved a large-scale aerial campaign aimed at disabling Venezuela's air defenses before ground forces were deployed. More than 150 US aircraft were used to knock out air defenses, allowing military helicopters to deliver troops who assaulted Maduro's position, the report said. There was no immediate public confirmation from the White House or the Pentagon regarding casualty figures or the full scope of the operation. US forces captured and flew Maduro and his wife out of Venezuela early Saturday in an overnight operation, President Donald Trump announced. Trump said the United States would run Venezuela until a "safe, proper, and judicious transition" is secured. Maduro and his wife are accused of trafficking "tons of cocaine" into the United States, along with other crimes, according to a new indictment unsealed early Saturday by federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York. Critics have warned that the operation violates international law, bypasses congressional authority and risks further instability in Venezuela and across the region. — Agencies
