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Operation Tiger Rescue

Operation Tiger Rescue was the evacuation of United States citizens by the United States Air Force from Yemen after the civil war in the country came to threaten the capital, Sana'a, in May 1994. Yemen was reformed by the unification of North Yemen and South Yemen in 1990. After unification, relations between factions in the north and the south of the country continued and the southern part of the country again attempted to secede in early 1994. While the south bore the brunt of the subsequent fighting, the capital of Sana'a came under missile and air attack. As fighting intensified, the United States State Department requested the immediate evacuation of US citizens, including both civilian and government employees, from Yemen.

The evacuation airlift was conducted by C-130s from the USAF's 41st Airlift Squadron, which deployed to King Abdul Aziz Air Base, Saudi Arabia to stage the operation. Their operations were coordinated there with elements of the 4410th Airlift Squadron (Provisional). On 4 May 1994, a single C-130 was flown to the Yemeni capital to survey the situation. It had been expected that a single day of airlift operations would be sufficient to evacuate all American citizens from the country, but after the assessment on 4 May 1994 it became apparent that there were more American citizens requiring evacuation in Yemen than previously assumed. Airlift operations began on 5 May 1994 and ended on 6 May 1994, and involved the sortie of a single C-141 aircraft to help deal with the large number of evacuees. Overloading of aircraft on the first day had led to emergency landings at alternate airfields in Saudi Arabia to allow the aircraft to refuel.

Enemy fixed and rotary wing aircraft did approach the evacuation aircraft on numerous occasions, but only briefly at distances that were threatening. The USAF also provided E-3A AWACS and F-15C fighter aircraft to support the operation and deter enemy activity. These aircraft remained on station inside Saudi airspace, but were ready to respond if needed.