Claims that American troops used powerful, previously unseen weapons during a raid in Venezuela have drawn worldwide attention after dramatic eyewitness testimony indicated that soldiers were incapacitated by a strong sonic effect during an operation to capture President Nicolás Maduro.
In a statement published on X by the White House press secretary, it was reported how Venezuelan security personnel were incapacitated within minutes when American troops allegedly deployed advanced technologies that disabled radar systems, flooded the area with drones, and rendered defenders unable to stand.
"We were on alert, but suddenly all our radar systems shut down without any explanation," said a guard. "The next thing we saw was drones, numerous drones flying over our positions. We didn’t know how to react."
According to the New York Post, only a small American unit consisting of just eight helicopters, with about 20 soldiers on board, entered the area. Despite their small numbers, the guards claimed that the Americans quickly took control of the situation.
"They were very technologically advanced," he said. "They were unlike anything we had faced before."
The guard described the encounter as one-sided, stating that Venezuelan forces were outmatched by the speed and accuracy of American firepower.
"We were hundreds, but we didn’t stand a chance," he said, as reported by the Post. "They shot with such precision and speed that it felt like every soldier was firing 300 rounds per minute."
He then described the moment when a mysterious device was allegedly used.
"At one point, they launched something; I don’t know how to describe it," he said. "It felt like a very powerful sound wave. Suddenly, I felt like my head was exploding from the inside."
According to him, the physical effects were immediate.
"All of us had blood coming from our noses. Some were vomiting blood. We fell to the ground, unable to move. We couldn’t even get up after that sonic weapon was used, or whatever it was."
The Venezuelan Ministry of the Interior stated that around 100 security personnel were killed during the operation on January 3. It remains unclear whether any deaths are linked to the alleged use of the weapon.
A former source in American intelligence stated that this description resembles directed energy weapons, which use focused energy such as microwaves or lasers to incapacitate targets.
"Such systems have been used in the military for several decades," the source said. "Some of these systems can cause bleeding, pain, burning, and disruption of bodily functions."
Previously, China was accused of using microwave weapons against Indian soldiers during a border standoff in Ladakh in 2020, although Beijing denied these claims.
