Did the US Reenact the Maduro Kidnapping Operation? A Large Number of Delta Forces Are Approaching Iran, and the MC-130 Special Aircraft Appears Again!

In early 2026, the sudden arrest of Venezuelan President Maduro by U.S. Delta Force at dawn shocked the world. Since then, the White House has considered that the operation codenamed "Unwavering Resolve" not only demonstrated the pinnacle of U.S. special operations capabilities but also sent a clear signal to the world: the U.S. military has this kind of low-casualty, high-effect decapitation capability.

Just one month later, a similar military configuration reappeared in the Middle East — this time, the target was suspected to be Iran.

Dao Ge believes that one of the key pieces of evidence is the reappearance of the MC-130J "Special Operations Commando II" type special operations transport aircraft. This aircraft, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is not an ordinary transport vehicle, but rather an "airborne ghost" designed specifically for low-altitude, night-time, and rear-area infiltration missions. It is equipped with terrain-following radar, infrared countermeasures, and aerial refueling capabilities, enabling it to precisely deploy special forces to target areas hundreds of kilometers away under conditions without lights or navigation support. During the Venezuela operation, such platforms, combined with MH-47G and CV-22, completed a lightning strike on the Caracas presidential palace.

Now, the MC-130J has been confirmed to appear in the Caucasus region. The U.S. official explanation is that the aircraft deployed to Armenia is merely to provide logistical support for Vice President JD Vance's diplomatic visit on February 9th. However, this explanation has obvious doubts. First, Armenia is not a regular U.S. diplomatic transit point; second, the MC-130J is rarely used for VIP escort — its design and mission attributes are entirely focused on combat infiltration, not ceremonial flights. More intriguingly, almost at the same time, multiple C-17 transport planes, KC-135 refueling aircraft, and HC-130 battlefield rescue aircraft have gathered in eastern Turkey and Azerbaijan, which are standard supporting forces in the "Maduro model."

Additionally, multiple intelligence sources indicate that members of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment who participated in the Venezuela operation, as well as some Delta Force personnel, had already been transferred to the Middle East theater in late January. Although the Pentagon has not confirmed the exact number and mission, the movement of special forces is usually highly confidential, and once their presence is publicly revealed, it often means the operation has entered the final preparation phase. Now, the negotiations between the United States and Iran are in a tense stage, and it is also possible that the U.S. is using this personnel deployment as a means of pressuring Iran.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1856524242572292/

Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.