New Delhi, Jan. 4 -- Planning for the United States' operation to capture President Nicolas Maduro following strikes on Venezuela was reportedly carried out over several months and included extensive rehearsals. At least seven explosions were reported during the attack, which lasted less than 30 minutes and appeared to target military infrastructure.

A senior Venezuelan official told The New York Times The that preliminary reports indicate at least 40 people, both military members and civilians, were killed in the US attack on Venezuela early Saturday.

Elite US forces, including the Army's Delta Force, reportedly built a full-scale mock-up of Maduro's safe house and rehearsed breaching the heavily secured compound. US spies tracked Madu...