Story highlights The raid was the first authorized by President Donald Trump

Lawmakers have pressed for answers about what it accomplished

Washington (CNN) The top US commander for the Middle East accepted full responsibility Thursday for a controversial January raid in Yemen that resulted in the death of a Navy SEAL and several civilians.

"I am responsible for this mission," Gen. Joseph Votel, commander of US Central Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee. "I accept the responsibility for this. We lost a lot on this operation."

"We lost a valued operator" Votel continued, referring to the death of Chief Petty Officer William "Ryan" Owens. "We had people wounded. We caused civilian casualties, lost an expensive aircraft."

The Trump administration praised the operation -- meant to gather intelligence on al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and target its leadership -- as a success.

But lawmakers have fiercely contested that characterization and pressed for more answers about what it accomplished. Owens' father has called for an investigation.

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