Airwars assessment
A US strike targeted AQAP in either Shabwah, Hadramawt or Al Bayda governorate on June 23rd 2018, according to CENTCOM. There are no known public reports of a US action on June 23rd.
As Yemen monitor New America first noted: “On July 3rd, CENTCOM confirmed in an email to New America that it conducted two air strikes in Yemen in June 2018. One strike occurred on June 23rd and another on June 30th. CENTCOM did not provide further details on the location, target, or number of casualties from the strikes.”
An August 30th statement from CENTCOM narrowed the strike down to one of three provinces: “U.S. Central Command has conducted six counterterrorism air strikes targeting al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula terrorist network in Yemen in three separate governorates since May 16, bringing the total number of air strikes to 34. These include air strikes May 25, two airstrikes June 23 and 30, two airstrikes July 22 and 24, and one Aug. 14. These air strikes took place in Shabwah, Hadramawt and Al-Bayda governorates.”
One local-language Twitter source, @S1H9Ab, suggested that operations against AQAP, “with American logistical support” and the support of the Saudi-led coalition, were ongoing in Qayfa, Bayda governorate, from around June 22nd 2018.
It is possible that reports of the death of an AQAP jurist which first appeared on June 28th referred to this strike, though they are presently accounted for in a distinct entry (USYEMTr170).
The local time of the incident is unknown.
Summary
Sources (3) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]
Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]
Reports of the incident mention the governorates of Al Bayda (البيضاء), Shabwah (شبوه), and Hadramout (حضرموت) without any specific spatial information. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates are: 15.301065, 47.856830.
United States Armed Forces Assessment:
Original strike reports
TAMPA, Fla. –U.S. Central Command has conducted six counterterrorism air strikes targeting al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula terrorist network in Yemen in three separate governorates since May 16, bringing the total number of air strikes to 34.
These include air strikes May 25, two airstrikes June 23 and 30, two airstrikes July 22 and 24, and one Aug. 14. These air strikes took place in Shabwah, Hadramawt and Al-Bayda governorates.
A recent United Nations report assessed AQAP leaders recognize Yemen as a hub for external operations.
“AQAP has taken advantage of the conflicts in Yemen, to plot, direct and encourage terror attacks abroad,” said Lt. Col. Earl Brown, a USCENTCOM spokesman. “We will not relent on our pursuit of AQAP terrorists as they remain a significant threat to regional security and stability, and the safety of Americans at home and abroad.”