Desert debacle: how Trump’s first counter-terror operation descended into chaos in Yemen

The mission facing the Navy SEALs as they approached a remote desert compound was a risky one: detain Yemeni tribal leaders collaborating with al-Qaeda and gather intelligence that could plug a critical gap in US understanding of one of the world’s most dangerous militant groups.

Instead, a massive firefight ensued, claiming the life of an American sailor and at least one Yemeni child, serving as an early lesson for US President Donald Trump’s national security team about the perils of overseas ground operations.

The January 28 raid in Yemen’s Bayda governate, which also included elite forces from the United Arab Emirates, was the first counter-terrorism operation approved by Trump, who took office a week earlier. And the death of Chief Special Warfare Operator William “Ryan” Owens, who would later succumb to his injuries, marked the first combat death of Trump’s young presidency.

Special operations like this have always been risky for presidents to approve. Trump and some of his advisers have already promised to give the military greater rein in authorising such missions as part of their desire to wipe out extremist threats. But the president has also said he is leery of getting entangled too deeply in costly operations overseas.

In Saturday’s operation, the SEALs faced difficulties from the start. After the US forces descended on the village of Yaklaa, a heavily guarded Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) stronghold surrounded by land mines, militants launched an intense counter-attack.