| American-led intervention in Yemen | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Global War on Terror & Yemeni Civil War (2015-present | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 YemenCJTF-Y
|  al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Ali Abdullah Saleh Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi Barrack Obama (2010-2017) Donald Trump (2017-present Robert Gates (2010-2011) Ash Carter (2015-2017) General James Mattis (2017-present
| Nasir al-Wuhayshi Qasim al-Raymi Nasser al-Ansi Ibrahim al-Rubaish Khalid Batarfi Ibrahim al Qosi
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| Units involved | |||||||
Yemen
CIA Special Activities Division
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
660+ servicemen killed 7 killed & 18 wounded 2 killed
(one accidental) & four wounded | 1200+ killed
|
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US drone in Yemen
Background & Early Operations[]
On April 8, 2008, then President of the United States George W. Bush said "The stability of the Arabian Peninsula is a must for victory against terrorism and for long term peace in the Middle East". Knowing of the spread of various al-Qaeda networks in the region throughout the 2000's and late 90's the United States along with many Arab nations began talks on possible military intervention and support. Through November 19-21 2009 multiple attacks in the capital of Yemen Sana'a took place. Injuring 106 and killing 33 people including eight terrorists.
Less then two weeks later two Yemeni soldiers would be ambushed and killed in Northern Yemen. Immediately after the US and Yemen began talks for military cooperation but no agreement was meet and Yemen began its own operation in December in North Yemen in response to the attacks. Soon after the US under President Barrack Obama would use drone strikes against al-Qaeda operatives in al-Janad Yemen.
In 2010, the US and many NATO allies along with Yemen set out its main objective to dismantle al-Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula and to stop the spread of terrorism in the region. NATO would escalate its involvement in March 2012 by creating the Combined Joint Task Force-Yemen and soon eight other nations would join the United States and Yemen in ground and air operations against al-Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula.
US special forces raid an al-Qaeda stronghold in Yemen
June 13 2013 Ambush[]
On June 13th, 2013, a task force of 12 Americans and eight Yemeni soldiers were ambushed by al-Qaeda operatives near Kitaf Yemen. The mission started off as a routine patrol mission. After a break near an abandoned structure four hours into the mission at 11:38 am the task force would come under attack by several dozen Jihadists.
For more than 30 minutes the task force fought off the ambush until an armed drone and two F-18's from USS Carl Vinson would come to assist them. Five Americans and three Yemeni soldiers along with 25 members of al-Qaeda would be killed during the attack. Shortly after the attack Fox News would come out calling it "A betrayal of our armed forces by our President" then calling for an investigation of the attack.
Many asked why the special forces were operating in a dangerous region with little support and why did it take 30 minutes for assistance to arrive. al-Qaeda forces in the region would use the attack as propaganda showing the bodies of two fallen American soldiers during the ambush. The attack would raise questions by the international community about American-led involvement in the region.
Algabin Raid []
On September 9, 2015, 24 SEAL Team 6 operators with help from a dozen militia men raided an al-Qaeda stronghold in Algabin, Yemen. Midway through the mission the SEAL's and militia men were ambushed and attacked by an estimated 20 al-Qaeda militants. Seven militia soldiers were killed and two SEAL's were wounded. 10 al-Qaeda soldiers were killed and one would be captured.
Coalition casualties[]
2013[]
United States: five killed & six wounded
2014[]
United States: two wounded
2015[]
two killed & six wounded
United States: one killed & four wounded
Germany: one killed & one wounded
United Kingdom: one wounded
2016[]
one killed & four wounded
United States: three wounded
United Kingdom: one killed & one wounded
2017[]
four killed & seven wounded
United States: one killed & three wounded
United Kingdom: one killed & two wounded
France: one killed & two wounded
Netherlands: one killed