On Sunday, U.S. Central Command officially declared two Navy SEALs, who had gone missing during an operation in Somalia on January 11, dead.
The operation aimed to seize a ship carrying weapons destined for Yemen off the coast of Somalia. The 10-day search-and-rescue mission concluded, and recovery operations are now in progress, according to a statement from U.S. Central Command.
General Michael Erik Kurilla, the commander of CENTCOM, expressed condolences, saying, “We mourn the loss of our two Naval Special Warfare warriors, and we will forever honor their sacrifice and example.” He extended sympathies to the SEALs’ families, friends, the U.S. Navy, and the entire Special Operations community.
The missing Navy SEALs were directly involved in the operation near the coast of Somalia, where approximately 450 U.S. service members are stationed. The operation resulted in the confiscation of materials, including Iran-made ballistic missiles and cruise missile components, including warheads.
The seized vessel was transporting advanced weaponry from Iran to the Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have been targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The identities of the deceased SEALs have not been disclosed, and CENTCOM has refrained from releasing further details out of respect for their families.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stated, “We mourn the loss of our two brave Navy SEALs, and our hearts are with their families. The entire department is united in sorrow today. We are grateful to all who worked tirelessly to try to find and rescue them.”
The United States has recently conducted strikes against Houthi militants in Yemen due to their ongoing attacks on commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The Houthis initially targeted vessels heading to Israel in response to the conflict with Hamas, an Iran proxy militia, but later expanded their scope to include all vessels.
