A US military aircraft was brought down after it was unintentionally struck by an American missile cruiser over the Red Sea.
Both aviators of the jet ejected safely and were rescued, with one sustaining only minor injuries.
An inquiry is currently underway following what the US armed forces labeled as an “evident instance of friendly fire.”
This incident appears to be the most severe occurrence that has put US personnel at risk in over a year amid America’s operations against Iran-supported Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The US Central Command confirmed that the F/A-18 Hornet was downed shortly after launching from the USS Harry S Truman aircraft carrier.
The dual-seat jet was subsequently struck by one of the escort vessels from the carrier formation, the USS Gettysburg.
It remains unclear how the Gettysburg could have misidentified an F/A-18 as an adversary aircraft or missile, especially given that ships within a battle group are interconnected through radar and radio communications.
Nevertheless, Central Command mentioned that naval vessels and aircraft had earlier intercepted several Houthi drones and a cruise missile aimed at vessels launched by the rebels.
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Since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023, the Houthis have targeted approximately 100 commercial vessels with missiles and drones in support of Gaza.
The Hornet incident underscores the perilous nature of the Red Sea corridor amidst the ongoing assaults on shipping by the Houthis, despite patrols conducted by US and European allies in the region.
Yemeni soldiers guard Mohammad Ali al Houthi, the head of the Supreme Political Houthi Council, in Sanaa. File pic: AP
This past weekend, US aircraft executed airstrikes that echoed through the capital Sanaa, which has been under Houthi control since 2014.
Central Command characterized the strikes as aimed at a “missile storage facility” and a “command-and-control center,” but did not provide further details.
The downed fighter jet was reportedly an F/A-18 Super Hornet affiliated with the Red Rippers of Strike Fighter Squadron 11, based at Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia.
