This report covers the most significant and historically impactful missions of 1st SFOD-D (Delta Force). Because Delta is a "Tier 1" unit, the vast majority of their operations remain classified. However, several high-profile missions have been declassified or reported on due to their immense geopolitical importance.
1. Operation Absolute Resolve (2026)
Location: Caracas, Venezuela
Objective: Apprehension of Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores
This is the most recent major operation attributed to Delta Force. Following years of tension and indictments for narcoterrorism, the U.S. launched a surgical strike on Caracas.
The Mission: Over 150 aircraft supported the operation. Delta operators entered the presidential compound, extracted Maduro and his wife, and evacuated them to the USS Iwo Jima.
Outcome: Successful capture with no American casualties reported. This mission is cited as a modern masterclass in "High-Value Target" (HVT) extraction in a densely populated urban environment.
2. Operation Kayla Mueller (2019)
Location: Barisha, Syria
Objective: Neutralize ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
Named after an American human rights worker held and killed by ISIS, this mission saw Delta operators fly low-altitude through hostile airspace to reach a remote compound.
The Mission: Operators blew holes in the compound walls to avoid booby-trapped doors. After a brief firefight, Baghdadi fled into a tunnel with a Delta K9 (Conan) in pursuit.
Outcome: Trapped, Baghdadi detonated a suicide vest. Delta operators recovered DNA samples to confirm his identity on-site and safely extracted several children from the site before leveling the building.
3. Operation Red Dawn (2003)
Location: Ad-Dawr, Iraq
Objective: Capture of Saddam Hussein
After nine months of searching, Delta Force (as part of Task Force 121) tracked the former Iraqi dictator to a remote farm near Tikrit.
The Mission: Delta operators searched two primary sites. Upon finding nothing, an operator kicked a piece of flooring, revealing a "spider hole."
Outcome: Saddam Hussein was found hiding in the hole, armed with a Glock but offering no resistance. His capture significantly impacted the Iraqi insurgency's leadership structure.
4. Operation Acid Gambit (1989)
Location: Panama City, Panama
Objective: Rescue CIA operative Kurt Muse
This was the first successful modern hostage rescue for Delta, occurring during the opening minutes of the U.S. invasion of Panama (Operation Just Cause).
The Mission: Operators landed MH-6 Little Birds on the roof of the Cárcel Modelo prison. They breached the roof and descended to Muse’s cell, killing the guard who had orders to execute him if a rescue was attempted.
Outcome: Despite their helicopter crashing during the extraction due to ground fire, the team moved Muse to a nearby building and were eventually rescued by an armored personnel carrier.
5. Operation Gothic Serpent (1993)
Location: Mogadishu, Somalia
Objective: Capture key advisors to warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid
Known famously as the "Black Hawk Down" incident, this mission showcased the extreme bravery and combat proficiency of Delta operators under catastrophic conditions.
The Mission: What was intended to be a 1-hour "snatch and grab" turned into a 15-hour urban battle after two Black Hawk helicopters were shot down by RPGs.
Outcome: While the mission was a tactical success (the targets were captured), it resulted in 18 U.S. deaths. Delta snipers Gary Gordon and Randy Shughart were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for their attempt to defend a crash site.
Summary Table of Key Missions
| Mission | Year | Target/Objective | Key Result |
| Eagle Claw | 1980 | Tehran Hostages | Failed; led to the creation of JSOC. |
| Urgent Fury | 1983 | Grenada Prison | Mixed success; freed political prisoners. |
| Desert Storm | 1991 | Scud Missile Sites | Strategic success; sabotaged Iraqi missiles. |
| Tora Bora | 2001 | Osama bin Laden | Strategic failure; target escaped into Pakistan. |
| Black Swan | 2016 | "El Chapo" Guzmán | Successful capture (collaboration with Marines). |
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