White House confirms failed secret mission to rescue American held by al Qaeda

The Obama administration revealed Thursday that a secret mission launched by U.S. forces inside Yemen last month failed to rescue American Luke Somers — held hostage by al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula since September 2013.

White House officials said President Obama personally authorized the mission to rescue the 33-year-old Mr. Somers, the lone American among roughly a dozen hostages held by the extremist group, known by the acronym AQAP.

The revelation came just hours after AQAP militants circulated a video purporting to show Mr. Somers, a photojournalist, saying his...