In a concerning development, two U.S. Navy SEALs are reportedly missing after conducting a nighttime boarding mission off the coast of Somalia, as confirmed by three U.S. officials. The incident occurred on Thursday, and a search and rescue operation is currently underway.

According to officials, the SEALs were engaged in an interdiction mission, attempting to board a vessel when one of them was knocked off by high waves. Following protocol, the second SEAL jumped in after their comrade, but both individuals have yet to be located. The Gulf of Aden, where the mission took place, has warm waters, which may offer some hope in the efforts to find them.

It is important to note that this particular mission was unrelated to Operation Prosperity Guardian, an ongoing international endeavor aimed at providing protection for commercial vessels in the Red Sea. Additionally, it was not connected to recent retaliatory strikes conducted by the United States and the United Kingdom in Yemen, nor the seizure of the oil tanker St. Nikolas by Iran.

The U.S. Navy regularly carries out interdiction missions to intercept weapons being transported on ships bound for Houthi-controlled Yemen. In addition to securing ships from attacks launched by drones and missiles from Yemen, the military has also been involved in combating piracy threats to commercial vessels in the area.

U.S. Central Command issued a statement on Saturday confirming that search and rescue operations are currently underway to locate the missing Navy SEALs. The command has refrained from providing further details about the incident until the personnel recovery mission is completed.

The two sailors, who were forward-deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, were supporting a wide array of missions at the time of their disappearance.

As the search continues, the U.S. Navy and international partners remain committed to ensuring the safety and security of naval operations in the region.