US declares dead two marines involved in operation against Iran and Houthis

Two US Marines who disappeared off the coast of Somalia on January 11 and who were taking part in a military operation against a ship that was carrying resources from Iran to Houthi forces in Yemen have been found dead after a ten-day search. Has been declared.

,We regret to announce that after an extensive 10 day search, two of our Navy SEALs “The missing (Navy Elite Corps) has not been located and his status has been changed to deceased,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement published Sunday night. Out of “respect for the families,” the text said, “No further information will be released at this time.”

In the last ten days, the statement details, teams of United States, Japan and Spain More than 21,000 square miles of area are being searched to locate the two missing SEALs.

Both sailors were boarding the ship in search of illegal Iranian weapons, when due to strong waves, one fell into the water and the other, following protocol, jumped in after it.

On January 16, U.S. naval forces reported that on the 11th they sank an unflagged “dhow” – a traditional Arab sailboat – in the Arabian Sea, which was on a mission to resupply the Yemeni Houthis carrying illegal cargo from Iran. Was apparently carrying “lethal aid”. Which two US marines disappeared?

Centcom said it was the first seizure of lethal advanced conventional weapons supplied by Iran to the Houthis since the beginning of attacks on merchant ships in November 2023.

Also the first seizure of advanced Iranian-made ballistic missile and cruise missile components by the US Navy since November 2019.

Navy SEALs participated in the operation, supported by helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which boarded the “dhow” off the coast of Somalia in international waters of the Arabian Sea.