Jan 21 (Reuters) – Two U.S. Navy SEALs who went lacking within the Gulf of Aden earlier this month throughout a raid on a ship carrying Iranian weapons haven’t been positioned following an exhaustive search and their standing has been modified to deceased, army officers mentioned on Sunday.
The SEALs have been reported lacking after boarding the vessel in a Jan. 11 operation close to the coast of Somali, the U.S. Central Command mentioned on X.
“We mourn the lack of our two Naval Special Warfare warriors, and we’ll without end honor their sacrifice and instance. Our prayers are with the SEALs’ households, mates, the U.S. Navy, and your entire Special Operations group throughout this time,” CENTCOM Commander General Michael Erik Kurilla mentioned in an announcement.
A joint operation carried out by the United States, Spain and Japan searched greater than 21,000 sq. miles of ocean for the lacking SEALs, CENTCOM mentioned within the assertion.
That mission had now develop into a restoration operation, CENTCOM mentioned.
EXCLUSIVE: Iranian and Hezbollah Commanders Help Direct Houthi Attacks in Yemen, Sources Say
The U.S. has carried out a string of strikes towards Houthi targets in response to Houthi assaults on service provider ships within the Red Sea which have disrupted international commerce and raised fears of provide bottlenecks.
U.S. Central Command forces on Saturday struck a Houthi anti-ship missile that was aimed into the Gulf of Aden and ready to launch, the U.S. army mentioned.
The Houthis, who management essentially the most populous components of Yemen, have claimed their assaults on industrial ships are aimed toward supporting the Palestinians in Israel’s warfare in Gaza.
The Houthi motion has vowed to maintain up assaults regardless of the strikes final week towards radar and missile capabilities.