Islamabad, Dec 23: A U.S. Navy fighter jet was downed on Sunday in what Central Command described as a “friendly fire” incident during military operations in the Red Sea.
According to Centcom, “Two U.S. Navy pilots safely ejected over the Red Sea early on Dec. 22 after their F/A-18 Super Hornet was mistakenly shot down in a friendly fire event.”
The incident occurred amid international military efforts to counter Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have targeted merchant ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since late 2023. Centcom stated that the guided-missile cruiser Gettysburg inadvertently fired on the fighter jet, which was operating from the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman.
The carrier group had recently arrived in the Red Sea as part of Operation Prosperity Guardian.
Both pilots ejected from the aircraft, with one sustaining minor injury, according to Centcom. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthi militia claimed responsibility, stating they had downed the jet using missiles and drones, as reported by Yemen’s Saba news agency. The incident follows reports that the militia plans to hold seminars on Red Sea security.
The Houthi campaign has prompted major shipping companies to reroute Asia-Europe services away from the Red Sea and Suez Canal, opting for longer routes around the Horn of Africa. This has significantly increased shipping costs for routes connecting Asia, the Mediterranean, Europe, and the United States.
