US Special Operations Forces conducted a raid in the Marib Governorate of Yemen early Tuesday that killed seven militants and wounded several American personnel, Pentagon spokesperson Navy Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters. The raid was a “counterterrorism operation” against a “base of operations” for al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. The special operators engaged in a firefight and called in “precision airstrikes” from an AC-130 gunship. The raid, which was conducted with the cooperation of the Yemeni government, was the first in that country since the Jan. 28 operation in which Chief Petty Officer Ryan Owens was killed. It was also the “furthest inland” ground operation US forces have conducted in Yemen to date, Davis told reporters.
The Air Force welcomed a new wing meant to improve command and control over the military's nuclear enterprise. The 95th Wing combines command and control units from the Active-Duty Air Force, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve under one roof to streamline command and better advocate for resources.