Yemen Monitor / Washington / Exclusive:
The U.S. Air Force has revealed details of what it described as a “fierce” aerial battle fought over Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and above the Red Sea earlier this year, according to American media reports.
The disclosure came as the Air Force awarded the “Silver Star”—the third-highest U.S. military decoration for valor—to an American fighter squadron commander for penetrating Houthi air defenses and defending the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman from a direct and intense aerial attack, in a rare indication of the scale of the undisclosed confrontations occurring over Yemen.
Gen. Ken Wilsbach, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, presented Lt. Col. William “Skeet” Parks, commander of the 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, with the Silver Star in recognition of his leadership in a complex combat mission targeting sites in Yemen in early 2025.
According to an Air Force statement, Parks commanded a mission involving 21 aircraft and led a formation of four F-16 fighters specializing in Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD).
The statement said Parks found himself in the crosshairs of air defenses over Sanaa, where he engaged in a 15-minute confrontation, successfully maneuvering to evade five surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft artillery fire.
Despite burning significant amounts of fuel during defensive maneuvers over Houthi-controlled territory, Parks managed to call for aerial refueling support in time to assist both himself and another pilot flying alongside him—ensuring both safely returned.
Highlighting the severity of threats in the Red Sea, the Air Force credited Parks with “personally destroying six airborne targets” that were headed toward the USS Harry S. Truman.
The incident reportedly coincided with broader intercept operations conducted by U.S. fighters to defend the carrier from a major attack involving 11 drones and a ballistic missile last March, following the resumption of U.S. strikes against the Houthis after a brief pause.
The 480th Fighter Squadron, deployed to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of operations for more than six months beginning in October 2024, has maintained an extensive combat record. According to official data, the squadron is credited with 108 aerial victories—destroying a mix of Houthi-launched cruise missiles and attack drones.
The F-16s operated by the squadron are among the most advanced in the U.S. arsenal and are specially configured for targeting and destroying air-defense systems.
