Two pilots from the United States Navy were shot down over the Red Sea early Sunday morning in what the US military later labeled a "friendly fire" incident. Both pilots successfully ejected from their aircraft and were rescued, though one of them suffered minor injuries, according to an official statement from the US military.
The incident occurred while the US military was conducting airstrikes against Yemen's Houthi rebels, although Central Command did not disclose specific details regarding the mission and declined to comment on questions posed by AP. The aircraft involved, an F/A-18 Super Hornet, had taken off from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, as confirmed by Central Command. The US military had previously acknowledged that the Truman had entered the Middle East earlier this month but did not reveal its specific location in the Red Sea.
"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," Central Command stated in a quote reported by AP.
The aircraft involved in the incident was a two-seat F/A-18 Super Hornet assigned to the "Red Rippers" of Strike Fighter Squadron 11, based at Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia. It is still not clear how the USS Gettysburg mistook the F/A-18 for an enemy aircraft or missile, considering the established radar and radio communication protocols connecting ships and aircraft within a battle group. Central Command pointed out that, earlier in the operation, US warships and aircraft had intercepted numerous Houthi drones and an anti-ship missile. The fast-moving threat environment has often required sailors to make rapid, split-second decisions.
The strikes on the Houthis were part of the US response to an escalation in attacks by the Yemen-based rebels, who have increased their actions since the beginning of the Gaza conflict last October. These attacks have included launching drones towards Israel and targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea.
In response to the growing threat from the Houthis, the United States has formed a multinational coalition, consisting of over 20 countries, to protect commercial traffic in the Red Sea from rebel assaults. The coalition has launched several attacks on Houthi facilities and weapons systems in Yemen, though the Houthis have continued their operations despite the strikes.