2 US Navy pilots shot down over Red Sea in friendly fire incident
Written by Jack Phillips, Contributing Author
Two U.S. Navy pilots and their F-18 fighter jet were downed over the Red Sea, the body of water that lies between North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Officials have stated that this incident was a result of friendly fire.
According to a statement from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), two pilots were saved, with one sustaining only slight injuries, following what seems to be a case of friendly fire. Authorities mentioned that an investigation is underway, but they did not share additional information.
According to a statement from CENTCOM, the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, a member of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, unintentionally launched a projectile that struck the F/A-18.
According to information from the U.S. military, the downed aircraft was a two-seat F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet that was part of the "Red Rippers" squadron, specifically Strike Fighter Squadron 11, stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia.
This event occurs alongside a statement from Central Command, which announced that it conducted targeted airstrikes in Yemen. These strikes hit a missile storage site and a command-and-control center used by the Houthi militant group, which has gained control of various regions in Yemen over the last ten years.
On December 21, CENTCOM announced that the airstrikes aimed to "interrupt and weaken" the group's activities related to launching drone and other assaults on U.S. Navy vessels and commercial ships in the Gulf of Aden, Red Sea, and various locations over the past few months.
The U.S. military has also taken down multiple “one-way attack drones” used by the Houthis, as well as anti-ship cruise missiles in the Red Sea. These operations were carried out using F/A-18 fighter jets and various naval resources, according to the announcement.
It remains uncertain whether the attacks on Houthi activities over the weekend were related to the downing of the two pilots.
Houthi Brigadier General Yahya Qasim Sare’e announced on Telegram that the group claimed responsibility for bringing down the U.S. Navy F-18 fighter jet, as per a translated statement.
He claimed that the actions of the U.S.S. Harry S. Truman strike group led to the unsuccessful American-British assault on our nation and the interception of an F-18 aircraft. U.S. officials have not yet issued a public reply to these assertions.
Mohammed al-Houthi, a leader of the group, stated in another translated comment that the U.S. strikes on Yemen are denounced as unlawful acts of terrorism that back the temporary Israeli regime in its ongoing genocide and blockade against the people of Gaza.
In the past few months, there has been a notable increase in military operations in the Red Sea following attacks on shipping by the Houthis, a group labeled as a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department and supported by Iran. The Houthis have intensified their actions since the start of the conflict between Israel and the Hamas group in Gaza.
The Houthis have managed to capture one ship and sink two others, with their actions resulting in the deaths of four sailors. Other missiles and drones have been intercepted by various coalitions led by the U.S. and Europe in the Red Sea, or they have missed their targets, which have also included Western military ships.
The group stated that their activities are aimed at vessels heading to Israel and aim to hinder the country's campaign in Gaza. This campaign began in October 2023 after Hamas launched an assault on Israel that involved air, land, and sea attacks, resulting in the deaths of over 1,200 civilians and the kidnapping of approximately 250 others.
Israel has responded to missile and drone attacks from the Houthis by conducting its own airstrikes.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a caution to the Houthis, stating that he plans to carry out military actions against the Yemeni group because of its connections with Iran.
“In the same way that we took strong action against the terrorist factions within Iran’s axis of evil, we will also take measures against the Houthis,” he stated in a video message. “The United States, along with its allies, considers the Houthis a danger not just to global shipping but to the stability of the international order as a whole.”
This report included contributions from the Associated Press and Reuters.
