The formal search for the two Navy SEALs who went missing during a mission in the Arabian Sea has been discontinued by the US military. The mission’s goal was to stop Iranian weapons before they could reach Yemen. Following a thorough 10-day search, U.S. Central Command (Centcom) stated on Sunday that the SEALs had not been located and had officially been ruled deceased.
The plan was to board an unflagged dhow transporting cutting-edge Iranian weapons on January 11. One SEAL went into the water during the mission, which led another SEAL to try to save him. In the process, both vanished from sight.
The head of Centcom, Army Gen. Michael Kurilla, said he was deeply saddened by the death and said, “We will always remember the sacrifice and leadership of our two Naval Special Warfare fighters. During this difficult time, our thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends, and the Special Operations community as a whole, as well as the U.S. Navy.
The action took place close to Somalia’s coast throughout the night. Propulsion, guidance, and warheads for medium-range ballistic missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles were among the components of Iranian-made ballistic and cruise missiles that the SEALs successfully secured. The Houthis have targeted American military and commercial ships in the Red Sea with these components.
With this interdiction, the Houthis were deprived of their first batch of deadly advanced conventional weapons (ACW) provided by Iran since their attacks on merchant ships started in November 2023. Additionally, it was the U.S. Navy’s first capture of sophisticated Iranian-manufactured ballistic and cruise missile components since November 2019.
The unflagged ship was sunk by US Navy forces after the mission, and its 14 crew members were taken into custody. International law is being followed in deciding how to handle the crew members.
Gen. Kurilla emphasized the importance of the mission, calling attention to Iran’s involvement in destabilizing the area in defiance of international law and U.N. Security Resolution 2216, as well as its ongoing provision of lethal aid to the Houthis. In order to guarantee the restoration of freedom of navigation, he reaffirmed the determination of the United States and its allies to uncover and thwart these initiatives.