In a concerning development, two U.S. Navy pilots were shot down over the Red Sea on Sunday in what appears to be a case of ‘friendly fire,’ according to the U.S. military. This incident, the most serious in over a year of America’s engagements with Yemen’s Houthi rebels, underscores the escalating dangers faced by troops in the region.
Both pilots managed to eject from their aircraft and were rescued alive, although one sustained minor injuries. The incident sheds light on the increasing peril within the Red Sea corridor due to the continuous attacks on shipping by the Iranian-backed Houthis, despite the presence of U.S. and European military coalitions patrolling the area.
At the time of the incident, the U.S. military was conducting airstrikes against the Houthi rebels, although specific details about the mission were not disclosed by the U.S. military’s Central Command, which did not respond immediately to inquiries from The Associated Press.
The downed F/A-18 aircraft had just taken off from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, as confirmed by Central Command. Earlier in December, the Truman had entered the Middle East region, but the presence of the carrier and its battle group in the Red Sea had not been explicitly stated.
Central Command stated, “The guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, which is part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, mistakenly fired on and hit the F/A-18.” The aircraft in question was identified as a two-seat F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet belonging to the “Red Rippers” of Strike Fighter Squadron 11 based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia.
While the circumstances leading to the mistaken firing by the Gettysburg remain unclear, Central Command reported previous incidents where Houthi drones and an anti-ship cruise missile had been intercepted by warships and aircraft in the area. The heightened threat from the Houthis has forced sailors to make split-second decisions in the face of incoming hostile fire.
Following the arrival of the Truman in the region, the U.S. has intensified its airstrikes against the Houthis and their missile activities in the Red Sea and its vicinity. However, the presence of an American warship group may provoke retaliatory attacks from the rebels, similar to what occurred earlier in the year with the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, marking one of the Navy’s most intense combat engagements since World War II.
Recent airstrikes conducted by U.S. warplanes in Sanaa, the capital of Yemen under Houthi control, targeted a “missile storage facility” and a “command-and-control facility,” according to Central Command. Meanwhile, Houthi-controlled media reported strikes in Sanaa and Hodeida without providing details on casualties or damages. The Houthis later acknowledged their involvement in the downing of the aircraft in the Red Sea.
The Houthis have engaged in a series of attacks on merchant vessels, targeting those with alleged links to Israel, the U.S., or the U.K. in an attempt to halt Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Despite their claims, several targeted vessels have had no ties to the conflict, including those en route to Iran.
Additionally, the Houthis have expanded their targeting to include Israel directly, leading to retaliatory Israeli airstrikes. The conflict dynamics in the region remain complex and volatile, with naval forces from the U.S. and Europe actively intercepting Houthi threats in the Red Sea.
