U.S. Delta Force Raid Captures Maduro, Fuels Iranian Protest Fears of U.S. Strike
Updated (3 articles)
Delta Force Operation Seizes Maduro in Caracas On January 7, 2026 elite Delta Force teams entered the presidential residence in Caracas, removed President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores from their bedroom, and air‑lifted them to the United States, where they were flown to New York to face narco‑terrorism charges first filed in 2020 [1][3].
Iranian Protests Escalate Amid Currency Collapse Nationwide demonstrations erupted in 88 cities across 27 provinces after the rial fell sharply, and Human Rights Activists News Agency reported at least 34 protesters killed and more than 2,000 detained after ten days of unrest [1].
Iranians Shift Attention to Potential U.S. Raid State media and street callers quickly linked the Venezuelan seizure to a possible U.S. operation against Iran, fearing that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could become a target and urging prayers and vigilance [2].
Analysts Warn Replicating Raid in Iran Is Complex Security experts note Iran’s larger territory, powerful Revolutionary Guard, and possession of fissile material make a Venezuela‑style extraction far riskier, predicting kinetic, cyber and proxy retaliation if Washington attempted a similar strike [2][1].
Sources
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1.
CNN: US raid in Caracas that seized Nicolás Maduro deepens Iran's crisis and raises fears of wider confrontation: CNN details the midnight bedroom capture, Trump’s retaliation warnings, the deadly Iranian protests, Basij hospital raids, and the broader U.S.–Iran‑Venezuela strategic context .
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2.
AP: Venezuelan raid shifts Iranian public focus from domestic protests to fears of U.S. strike on Tehran: AP emphasizes how the Maduro seizure redirected Iranian public discourse toward anxiety about a U.S. attack on Tehran, cites memories of Israel’s 12‑day war, and includes religious leaders urging prayer .
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3.
Newsweek: Hezbollah denies Venezuela presence after Rubio warning as Maduro is captured: Newsweek reports the raid, notes the transport of Maduro to New York, highlights Iran’s Axis of Resistance framing, and includes Hezbollah’s denial of any presence in the Western Hemisphere .
Timeline
Summer 2025 – The United States conducts a series of strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, marking the first direct kinetic attacks on Iran’s enrichment sites and heightening Tehran’s sense of external threat [1].
2025 (late year) – Israel wages a 12‑day war against Iran, striking Tehran and killing senior military figures and nuclear scientists, which later fuels Iranian public anxiety about foreign raids [3].
Dec 2025 – A sharp collapse of the Iranian rial sparks shop‑keeper protests that quickly spread to 88 cities across 27 provinces, laying the groundwork for a nationwide unrest wave [1].
Early Jan 2026 (≈ Jan 3‑4) – President Donald Trump, aboard Air Force One, warns Iran “if Iranian authorities kill protesters the United States will respond,” repeating the threat twice within a week and signalling a willingness to use force [1].
Jan 5, 2026 – Elite Delta Force operators execute a nighttime raid in Caracas, seize President Nicolás Maduro and his wife from their bedroom, and air‑lift them to New York to face narco‑terrorism charges first filed in 2020 [2].
Jan 5, 2026 – Senator Marco Rubio declares Washington “will not tolerate Hezbollah or Iran influence in the hemisphere,” prompting a Hezbollah spokesperson to state, “there is certainly not any presence of the group in Venezuela or anywhere else in the Western Hemisphere” [2].
Jan 5‑7, 2026 – Iranian protests intensify; the U.S.-based HRANA reports “at least 34 protesters killed” and more than 2,000 arrests, while security forces deploy the Basij and even raid a hospital in Ilam, killing two security members [1].
Jan 6, 2026 – Iranian state media condemn the Venezuelan raid, and street‑level commentary fears a similar U.S. operation could target Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei; cleric Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Javedan publicly urges “prayers for Khamenei” [3].
Jan 7, 2026 – Analysts warn that a Venezuela‑style extraction in Iran would be far more complex because of the country’s larger territory, powerful Revolutionary Guard, and possession of fissile material, emphasizing the high risk of kinetic, cyber and proxy retaliation [3].
Jan 7, 2026 – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu highlights Iran’s domestic unrest as a sign of regime weakness, while President Trump reiterates his earlier warning that the U.S. will intervene if Tehran violently suppresses protesters [3].
2026 (ongoing) – U.S. and Israeli pressure on Iran continues; despite recent setbacks, experts assess that Hezbollah “remains capable of regrouping” and retains significant military capacity [2].
External resources (2 links)
- https://t.me/presstv/47862 (cited 1 times)