The US operation in Venezuela reportedly caught authorities completely off guard. The speed and intensity of American airstrikes, followed by a covert mission to take custody of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, stunned observers worldwide.

However, the lack of reported US casualties has fuelled speculation about how the operation was executed, giving rise to multiple theories, including claims that a ‘sonic weapon’ may have been used.

According to an account shared on X by the White House press secretary and later reported by the New York Post, Venezuelan security personnel stationed at a key facility were rapidly overwhelmed after US forces allegedly deployed advanced battlefield technology.

“We were on guard, but suddenly all our radar systems shut down without any explanation,” the guard said. “The next thing we saw were drones, a lot of drones, flying over our positions. We didn’t know how to react.”

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The witness claimed only a small US unit entered the area, with “barely eight” helicopters deploying around 20 troops, yet they rapidly seized control.

“They were technologically very advanced,” he said. “They didn’t look like anything we’ve fought against before.”

Describing the clash as one-sided, the guard said Venezuelan forces had no chance against the speed and precision of US firepower.

“We were hundreds, but we had no chance,” he said, reported the Post. “They were shooting with such precision and speed; it felt like each soldier was firing 300 rounds per minute.”

He then recounted the moment a mysterious device was allegedly deployed.

“At one point, they launched something; I don’t know how to describe it,” he said. “It was like a very intense sound wave. Suddenly, I felt like my head was exploding from the inside.”

The physical impact, he claimed, was immediate.

“We all started bleeding from the nose. Some were vomiting blood. We fell to the ground, unable to move. We couldn’t even stand up after that sonic weapon, or whatever it was.”

Venezuela’s Interior Ministry has stated that around 100 members of its security forces were killed in the January 3 operation. It remains unclear whether any deaths were linked to the alleged weapon.

A former US intelligence source said the description resembles directed-energy weapon systems already under development.

“The military has had versions of these for decades,” the source said. “Some of those systems can cause bleeding, pain, burning and the inability to function.”

Any official confirmation of the weapon’s use has so far not been provided by US authorities.

Sonic and ultrasonic weapons (USW) are weapons of various types that use sound to injure or incapacitate an opponent. Some sonic weapons make a focused beam of sound or of ultrasound; others produce an area field of sound. As of 2025, military and police forces make some limited use of sonic weapons.

Sonic weapons explained: Sound-based technology capable of incapacitating targets

Sonic and ultrasonic weapons (USW) are advanced systems that use high-intensity sound waves to injure, disorient or incapacitate opponents. These weapons operate either by emitting a focused beam of sound or by creating an area-wide field of intense acoustic energy. Their effects can range from severe discomfort and disorientation to physical injury, depending on intensity and exposure.

As of 2025, limited versions of sonic weapon technology are reportedly in use by military and law enforcement agencies in several countries, primarily for crowd control and tactical operations.

The most widely known sound-based weapon system is the Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD), developed in the United States. LRAD systems are capable of emitting highly concentrated sound beams over long distances and have been deployed by the US Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force, primarily for communication, deterrence and crowd-control operations.