President Trump visited the remains of a navy seal killed in Yemen on Wednesday, the first American casualty of an operation under the command of President Donald Trump. At the same time, Press Secretary Sean Spicer referred to the Navy Seal who was killed in Yemen as Ryan Owens, 36, of Peoria, Illinois during a press conference at the White House, for which Trump's national security advisor General Michael Flynn made an appearance, telling reporters that the administration was “officially” putting Iran on notice.
Details that killed Navy Seal in Yemen
The raid against al-Qaeda militants in Yemen was ordered by Trump on Saturday and this resulted in the Navy Seal being killed, and the wounding of three others. The raid still resulted in the casualties of 14 people, with some reports saying that they were all militants. But reports on the death of the Navy Seal also include the death of an eight-year-old American girl who the family said was the daughter of an American citizen and al-Qaeda propagandist, Anwar al-Awlaki. He was targeted and killed in Yemen by a drone strike ordered by the Obama administration in 2011 before his son was also killed.
It's been reported that the raid that killed the Navy Seal was already planned under an Obama White House but they had not given the okay for it, that it was even overridden by Obama using a pocket veto. The weekend raid is seen as a sign of more aggressive action against militants in Yemen, which both Spicer and Flynn set the tone of retaliation for, under the shadow of the Navy Seal who had been killed.
Flynn threatens Iran, possible military action?
Michael Flynn also referred to reports of more aggressive action by Iranian-backed Houthis rebels against Saudi allies, who have been receiving funding and arms from the U.S. under the Obama administration, in order to fight off Houthis attacks in Yemen.
According to the official news channel for the Houthis group "al-Masira", a ballistic missile was launched against a Saudi-led military base on Tuesday morning. While there is no official confirmation as to whether there were any casualties, on Monday, it was reported that three suicide boats hit a Saudi frigate near the port of Hodeidah.
Other reports have said that the Islamic Republic had launched a ballistic test missile this week, which was confirmed by the Iranian defense minister who said they would not allow any outsider to meddle with their defenses. In his statement for which Flynn took no questions, he referred to the attacks as a clear and largely ignored sign that Iran was the destabilizing force in the Middle East.
He also said that the Obama administration had failed to act against Iran's support for terrorism, weapons transfer and what he says are a violation of international norms, referring to United Nations Security Council resolution 2231. The resolution was drafted and implemented with the Iran nuclear deal which was cut by former Secretary of State John Kerry, which Flynn said Iran had violated. He also called the Obama administration "weak" for not taking action.
Michael Flynn's revenge
According to "The Guardian", a spokesperson for U.S. Central Command said they saw Flynn's statement as administration policy, but they had not received anything that clarifies what Flynn's statement meant. Guardian also said they were told by a White House official that military action was not off the table.
Michael Flynn's presence in the White House press briefing room could be seen as a provocation against the former Obama administration for firing him, over being too confrontational and not following orders. Michael Flynn has reportedly said before that he would favor a military confrontation with Iran. Iran has denied that they have violated the agreement. Another White House official has said they would rather not make decisions on impulse. However, it's also likely that Michael Flynn's decision to put Iran on notice was impulsive and caused by the Navy Seal killed in Yemen.