7 US troops injured in Venezuela operation: Report

WASHINGTON

Seven US service members were injured during the US' weekend operation in Venezuela to capture President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, according to media reports on Tuesday.

Five of those service members have returned to duty, while two are still recovering, FOX News reported, citing an administration official.

"They are receiving excellent medical care and are well on their way to recovery," the official was quoted as saying. "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."

US forces launched widespread airstrikes early Saturday on targets in northern Venezuela, including air defense systems and communications infrastructure, while special operations forces conducted a raid in the capital Caracas to seize the country's President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

During the first hearing in their trial on drug- and weapons-related charges, both Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Trump administration has framed the operation as part of a revived enforcement of the Monroe Doctrine and a crackdown on alleged narco-trafficking and corruption, while also explicitly linking it to securing US influence over Venezuela’s vast oil reserves.