DUBAI, Dec 22: In an alarming instance of “friendly fire,” two U.S. Navy pilots were shot down over the Red Sea on Sunday, according to the U.S. military. This event stands as the most significant threat to American troops amid over a year of operations targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
Both pilots were successfully rescued after ejecting from their disabled aircraft, with one sustaining only minor injuries. This incident highlights the escalating risks in the Red Sea, where ongoing Houthi attacks on shipping have persisted despite patrols by U.S. and European military coalitions.
At the time of the incident, airstrikes against the Houthi forces were being conducted by the U.S. military. However, the details of their mission were not disclosed, and the U.S. military’s Central Command did not immediately respond to inquiries from The Associated Press.
The downed F/A-18 had just taken off from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, according to Central Command. While Central Command had confirmed the carrier’s arrival in the region on December 15, they did not specify it was operating in the Red Sea.
Central Command stated, “The guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, mistakenly engaged and hit the F/A-18.”
The aircraft involved was identified as a two-seat F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet, assigned to the “Red Rippers” of Strike Fighter Squadron 11 based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia.
Questions remain about how the USS Gettysburg could confuse an F/A-18 with an enemy aircraft, especially considering that ships in a battle group communicate through radar and radio systems.
However, prior to this incident, U.S. warships and aircraft had successfully intercepted multiple Houthi drones and a cruise missile. The rapid nature of hostile fire from the Houthis has previously forced sailors to make quick decisions under pressure.
Following the Truman’s arrival, U.S. airstrikes against Houthi targets and missile launches into the Red Sea have intensified. There is concern that the presence of an American naval group may provoke renewed aggression from the rebels, reminiscent of incidents during the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower deployment earlier this year, which the Navy noted was among its most intense combat experiences since World War II.
On Saturday night and into early Sunday, U.S. warplanes conducted airstrikes that rattled Sanaa, the Yemeni capital controlled by the Houthis since 2014. Central Command indicated that the strikes targeted a “missile storage facility” and a “command-and-control facility,” but did not provide further details.
Houthi-affiliated media published reports of strikes in Sanaa and around the port city of Hodeida, though they did not disclose casualty figures or damage assessments. In Sanaa, the strikes seemed particularly focused on mountainous areas known for military installations. The Houthis later confirmed the downing of aircraft over the Red Sea.
Since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023, the Houthis have attempted attacks on approximately 100 merchant vessels using missiles and drones. This conflict, ignited by a surprise Hamas attack on Israel that resulted in 1,200 deaths and many others taken hostage, has escalated into a broader regional issue.
During Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza, which has reportedly claimed over 45,000 Palestinian lives according to local health officials, the Houthis have seized one vessel and sunk two, resulting in the death of four sailors. Many incoming attacks have been intercepted by coalitions led by the U.S. and European nations or failed to reach their targets, some of which included Western military vessels.
The Houthis assert that their attacks primarily target vessels connected to Israel, the U.S., or the UK as a means to pressure those nations to halt Israel’s operations against Hamas in Gaza. Nevertheless, numerous vessels attacked have minimal or no ties to the conflict, including some destined for Iran.
Additionally, the Houthis have increasingly launched drone and missile attacks aimed directly at Israel, prompting retaliatory airstrikes from Israeli forces. (AP)
