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Trump missed his main target in Yemen raid that killed 30 civilians and one US Navy SEAL

The Al Qaeda leader has released audio taunting the president

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The Independent US
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President Trump sings an executive order in the Oval Office on January 30, 2017 in Washington, DC. Andrew Harrer/Pool/Getty

President Trump ordered his first military raid on January 29 with one secret objective—to capture or kill an al Qaeda leader and recruiter who ultimately survived the strike.

Military officials told NBC News on Monday that the operation targeted 38-year-old Qassim al-Rimi, who leads al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and is considered the third most dangerous terrorist in the world. On Sunday, al-Rimi released an audio message taunting the president.

"The fool of the White House got slapped at the beginning of his road in your lands," he said in the message, military sources confirmed to NBC that the message is authentic.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer on Tuesday denied that al-Rimi was the subject of the counterterrorism operation.

“The raid that was conducted was an intelligence gathering raid,” he said, “and that’s what we received and that’s what we got and that was a success.”

President Trump ordered the raid, his first military operation as commander-in-chief, on a suspected Al-Qaeda camp in Yemen’s Bayda province. The operation resulted in the deaths of Navy SEAL William “Ryan” Owens and up to 30 civilians, including 10 women and children, according to medics at the scene. Three other US service members were also injured.

It’s currently unclear how al-Rami avoided capture or death and if he was present at the raid’s location at all.

New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban

New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban

  • 1/27

    Ethnic Yemenis and supporters protest against President Donald Trump's executive order temporarily banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen on February 2, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. At least 1,000 Yemeni-owned bodegas and grocery-stores across the city shut down from noon to 8 p.m. today to protest the order.

    Spencer Platt/Getty

  • 2/27

    People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York.

    Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty

  • 3/27

    Men pray during a protest by ethnic Yemenis and supporters over President Donald Trump's executive order temporarily banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen on February 2, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. At least 1,000 Yemeni-owned bodegas and grocery-stores across the city shut down from noon to 8 p.m. today to protest the order.

    Spencer Platt/Getty

  • 4/27

    Ethnic Yemenis and supporters protest against President Donald Trump's executive order temporarily banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen on February 2, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. At least 1,000 Yemeni-owned bodegas and grocery-stores across the city shut down from noon to 8 p.m. today to protest the order.

    Spencer Platt/Getty

  • 5/27

    Men pray during a protest by ethnic Yemenis and supporters over President Donald Trump's executive order temporarily banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen on February 2, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. At least 1,000 Yemeni-owned bodegas and grocery-stores across the city shut down from noon to 8 p.m. today to protest the order.

    Spencer Platt/Getty

  • 6/27

    People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York.

    Spencer Platt/Getty

  • 7/27

    People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York.

    Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty

  • 8/27

    People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York.

    Spencer Platt/Getty

  • 9/27

    People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York.

    Spencer Platt/Getty

  • 10/27

    People gather for evening prayer at a rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York.

    Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty

  • 11/27

    People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York.

    Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty

  • 12/27

    People rally with flags at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York.

    Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty

  • 13/27

    People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York.

    Spencer Platt/Getty

  • 14/27

    People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York.

    Spencer Platt/Getty

  • 15/27

    People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York.

    Spencer Platt/Getty

  • 16/27

    People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York.

    Spencer Platt/Getty

  • 17/27

    People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York.

    Spencer Platt/Getty

  • 18/27

    People rally with flags at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York.

    Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty

  • 19/27

    People rally with flags at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York.

    Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty

  • 20/27

    People rally with flags at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York.

    Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty

  • 21/27

    People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York.

    Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty

  • 22/27

    People rally with flags at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York.

    Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty

  • 23/27

    People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York.

    Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty

  • 24/27

    A Yemeni business owner places a sign on the gate of his store February 2, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Across the city, Yemeni owned bodega and grocery-stores will shut down from noon to 8 p.m. to protest President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen. It is expected that over 1000 stores will be closed in protest with workers and owners participating in an afternoon rally in Brooklyn.

    Spencer Platt/Getty

  • 25/27

    A Yemeni business owner places a sign on the gate of his store February 2, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Across the city, Yemeni owned bodega and grocery-stores will shut down from noon to 8 p.m. to protest President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen. It is expected that over 1000 stores will be closed in protest with workers and owners participating in an afternoon rally in Brooklyn.

    Spencer Platt/Getty

  • 26/27

    NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 02: Yemeni business owner Musa closes the gate to his store February 2, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Across the city, Yemeni owned bodega and grocery-stores will shut down from noon to 8 p.m. to protest President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen. It is expected that over 1000 stores will be closed in protest with workers and owners participating in an afternoon rally in Brooklyn.

    Spencer Platt/Getty

  • 27/27

    A Yemeni business owner closes the gate to his store February 2, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Across the city, Yemeni owned bodega and grocery-stores will shut down from noon to 8 p.m. to protest President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen. It is expected that over 1000 stores will be closed in protest with workers and owners participating in an afternoon rally in Brooklyn.

    Spencer Platt/Getty

Former President Barack Obama had drafted and reviewed plans for the raid but held off because his advisors wanted to launch the operation on a moonless night, the New York Times reports.

US military officials are now claiming that the Trump administration approved the counterrorism operation without sufficient “intelligence, ground support or adequate backup preparations.”

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In the days following the raid, US Central Command issued a statement saying that an investigation team had "concluded regrettably that civilian non-combatants were likely killed" with children among the casualties.

Last week, the president made an unannounced trip to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to honor the fallen soldier as his remains returned home.