A Virginia-based Navy SEAL from Illinois who was killed during a raid in Yemen over the weekend was identified Monday.
Chief Special Warfare Operator William “Ryan” Owens, 36, of Peoria, Illinois, was killed Saturday, the U.S. Department of Defense said.
He was based in Virginia Beach, KTLA sister station WTKR in Richmond reported. He was assigned to an East Coast-based Special Warfare unit, the Pentagon said.
Owens sustained wounds during a raid against al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula headquarters, President Donald Trump said Sunday. Three other U.S. service members were wounded.
Sources in Yemen told CNN that three senior al-Qaida leaders were among the 14 members of the terror network killed.
U.S. officials initially denied that there were civilian casualties, but later said they were looking into reports that women and children were killed, the New York Times reported.
A V-22 Osprey aircraft assisting in the operation experienced a hard landing and was then intentionally destroyed during the operation, U.S. Central Command said.
Trump authorized the operation, which had been planned for months, the Times reported. It was the new president’s first counterterrorism operation and the first combat death in his term.
Trump called the mission “successful” and said important intelligence was captured.
U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis on Monday extended condolences to Owens’ family and shipmates.
“Ryan gave his full measure for our nation, and in performing his duty, he upheld the noblest standard of military service,” Mattis said. “The United States would not long exist were it not for the selfless commitment of such warriors.”