In brief
The U.S. military reported that a Navy ship accidentally shot down its own fighter jet over the Red Sea, causing minor injuries to the pilots. An investigation is ongoing as tensions in the region escalate due to Houthi militia attacks on ships.
In a surprising turn of events, the U.S. Navy faced a friendly fire incident early Sunday when a guided missile cruiser mistakenly shot down an F/A-18 fighter jet over the Red Sea, according to U.S. Central Command. Fortunately, the two pilots ejected safely, with one sustaining only minor injuries. The incident occurred as the jet was operating off the USS Harry S. Truman, part of a carrier strike group deployed to monitor Yemen and its waters. The USS Gettysburg, the cruiser involved in the incident, was also part of the same strike group. Central Command mentioned that an investigation is currently underway to determine the exact circumstances of the mishap.This incident unfolds against a backdrop of heightened tensions in the region, where the Iranian-backed Houthi militia has targeted ships as part of their operations amid the ongoing conflict. Recently, the U.S. military has intensified strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen, aiming to secure vital international waterways. Just a day before the friendly fire incident, the military carried out airstrikes on Houthi missile storage facilities and intercepted several of their drones and missiles over the Red Sea.
