TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A video purportedly showing US military forces attacking the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, circulated on Facebook [archive] and TikTok on Monday, January 5, 2026.
The video shows military helicopters and a fighter jet firing at buildings in an urban area.
The attack reportedly met no resistance from the Venezuelan military. The video also includes the caption, “Di saat Amerika menyerang Ciracas, ibu kota Venezuela, militernya lagi menyaksikan atau pura-pura tidak tahu” (While the US is attacking Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, its military is either watching or pretending not to know).
This post went viral following news of the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the United States on January 3, 2026. The video has been viewed 5,000 times on Facebook, while on TikTok it has been shared more than 890 times and received 28.7,000 likes from netizens.
However, is the video of the United States military attacking Caracas, Venezuela, true?
FACT CHECK
Tempo verified the content using a Google reverse image search and compared it with information from credible sources. The results showed that the circulating video originated from a war simulation game.
The video was first uploaded by the Facebook account Reshmika Resmi on Sunday, January 4, 2026. She captioned the 24-second video, "Low-Level Helicopter Strike in City Sim."
The account owner frequently posts short videos of war simulation games. On its profile, the Reshmika Resmi account identifies itself as a video game creator. Tempo contacted the account on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, but has not yet received a response.
Furthermore, the circulating video shows the attack taking place during the day. However, according to the BBC, the United States military attacked the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, and kidnapped Maduro, at around 2:00 a.m. local time.
The Course of the Attack and Kidnapping
US Chief of Staff General Dan Caine explained that the operation, dubbed Operation Absolute Resolve, began with bombing at least five locations in Caracas. Power was cut off to weaken Venezuelan air defenses and facilitate helicopter movement.
Several helicopters then convoyed to the Fuerte Tiuna area where Maduro was located. They were also targeted by Venezuelan military fire, but were able to fly to their destination.
US Army Delta Force Special Forces captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, by helicopter to the aircraft carrier USS Iwo Jima. They landed on the waiting ship in the Caribbean Sea at 4:29 a.m.
Maduro was then transferred by helicopter to the US Naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. From there, they were transported by US federal government aircraft to New York.
The New York Times reported that the US administration under Trump called Maduro a "narco-terrorist," even though Venezuela is not a major narco-terrorist compared to some other countries. According to the Venezuelan government, the US is only targeting its oil reserves.
The official US statement stated that the operation began in August, with the arrival of a team from the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in Caracas. They gathered information on Maduro's routine activities and movement patterns, including his personal affairs, such as his pets.
Meanwhile, the US military constructed buildings resembling Maduro's residence in Fuerte Tiuna to simulate a precise capture operation. After preparations were deemed complete, the US military waited for favorable weather and conditions, and waited for Maduro to move into his residence in Fuerte Tiuna to carry out the raid.
CONCLUSION
Tempo's verification concluded that the narrative claiming that the video circulating online showed US military helicopters and a fighter jet attacking Caracas was false. The video was actually footage from a war simulation game.
TEMPO FACT CHECK TEAM
**Do you have information or claims that you want to have fact-checked? Contact our ChatBot. You can also send criticism, objections, or feedback for this Fact-Checking article via email to [email protected].
