US raids target al-Qaeda elements in Yemen and killing 7

American Special Operations forces conducted a new ground raid against al-Qaeda’s Yemen branch early on Tuesday, killing seven suspected militants, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

The operation, which included Navy SEALs and other Special Operations troops, targeted a compound believed to be affiliated with al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in Yemen’s Marib governorate, CENTCOM said in a statement. The suspected militants were killed “through a combination of small arms fire and precision airstrikes,” the statement said.

The raid takes place as the Trump administration intensifies counterterrorism operations in Yemen, where al-Qaeda’s most virulent offshoot is believed to be plotting attacks against the West. Shortly after taking office, President Trump approved another raid that resulted in the death of one SEAL and a number of civilians.

In recent months, U.S. Special Operations forces have partnered with troops from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to try to track down AQAP fighters arrayed across different areas of south and central Yemen. The United States has also dramatically expanded the pace of air strikes – with over 80 since the Trump administration took office — against the extremist group.

According to a defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an operation whose results were still being assessed, the raid took place under cover of darkness in a remote area, some 30 miles north of the spot where the earlier Jan. 29 raid occurred, and aimed to recover digital and other material that could be used for intelligence purposes. The American troops, accompanied by UAE forces, encountered a significant firefight when they landed on the scene.

No American injuries have been reported, the official said, according to Washington Post .

The stepped-up campaign reflects the urgency that military leaders have felt in addressing the group’s ambitions to plan external attacks, and also the White House’s desire to delegate decision-making for overseas operations to the military.

The Trump administration has also been considering providing expanded support to UAE troops in a separate conflict against Houthi rebels in Yemen. UAE and Saudi forces have been waging a war against Houthi elements, who the Gulf nations believe are a proxy for regional rival Iran, in Yemen since 2015.