NYN | News
Recent developments in U.S. military statements indicate a notable shift toward acknowledging the scale of challenges faced by American forces during their aerial operations over Yemen.
During an official event held Friday in the state of Virginia, the U.S. Air Force revealed details of an operation described as one of the most dangerous missions carried out by F-16 jets in early 2025.
At the ceremony, Lieutenant Colonel William Parks was awarded the Silver Star—the third-highest U.S. military decoration—in recognition of his bravery during a combat mission that witnessed what was likened to a “firestorm.”
According to the official statement, Parks helped lead an aerial formation of 21 attack aircraft, while personally commanding four F-16 fighters that were at the center of the engagement.
Details of the incident, published by the U.S. Air Force on its official website, show that the aircraft came under a heavy barrage of Yemeni air defense missiles and anti-aircraft artillery for 15 consecutive minutes. One fighter jet was nearly shot down after multiple missiles detonated extremely close to it.
The formation also faced another crisis, as fuel levels dropped to critical lows due to continuous maneuvering. This forced Parks to coordinate two emergency aerial refueling rendezvous, which prevented the aircraft from going down.
This acknowledgment follows a similar revelation two days earlier, when the commander of the 34th Fighter Squadron admitted that F-35 stealth fighters had also come under direct fire over Yemen—an incident considered the first of its kind in 20 years during “suppression of enemy air defenses” missions.
These successive statements reflect the growing capabilities of Yemeni air defenses and point to a new phase of confrontation in the skies—one in which advanced Western technology can no longer guarantee absolute air superiority as previously assumed.
