2024-01-22T05:15:24+00:00
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/ The US Central Command said, at dawn on Monday, that two members of the Navy Special Forces, who went missing in the Gulf of Aden this month during a raid on a boat carrying Iranian weapons, had not been located after an intensive search and their status was changed to deceased.
The US Central Command wrote on the X website that they were declared missing after they boarded the boat on January 11 in an operation near the coast of Somalia.
General Michael Eric Kurella, commander of US Central Command, said in a statement, “We mourn two of our Navy SEALs, and we will forever honor their sacrifice and example. Our prayers go out to the families and friends of the US Navy SEALs, Navy, and the entire Special Operations community during this time.”
Central Command said in the statement that a joint operation carried out by the United States, Spain and Japan searched more than 54,000 square kilometers of ocean in search of the missing special forces personnel.
US Central Command explained that this mission “has now become a recovery operation.”
The United States carried out a series of strikes against Houthi targets in response to their attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, which disrupted global trade and raised fears of supply disruption.
According to the US military, on Saturday, Central Command forces bombed an anti-ship missile launched by the Houthis that was targeting the Gulf of Aden and was ready for launch.
The Houthis say their attacks on commercial ships aim to support the Palestinians in the Israeli war in Gaza.
The Houthi movement pledged to continue attacks despite the strikes that targeted radar and missile capabilities last week.