Two US Navy pilots were shot down over the Red Sea on Sunday in an apparent “friendly fire” incident, marking a rare and serious threat to American troops. The incident occurred while the US military was conducting airstrikes targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
The F/A-18 fighter jet, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 11, was struck by the USS Gettysburg guided-missile cruiser, which is part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group. Both pilots were recovered alive, with one suffering minor injuries.
The incident highlights the dangers posed by the Red Sea corridor, where ongoing attacks on shipping by Iranian-backed Houthis have been a major concern for US and European military coalitions. The US has stepped up its airstrikes targeting the Houthis in recent days.
The US military acknowledged that warships and aircraft earlier shot down multiple Houthi drones and an anti-ship cruise missile launched by the rebels. However, it is unclear how the Gettysburg could mistake an F/A-18 for an enemy aircraft or missile.
The incident comes as tensions between Israel and Iran-backed Houthis escalate. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country would act “forcefully” against the Houthis, saying that only this time they would not be acting alone.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/mideast-wars-yemen-us-navy-pilots-houthi-95a792daae3b0120186bfc6c66e1b6fe