A US Navy warship in an apparent incident of “friendly fire” shot down a US fighter jet over the Red Sea, according to the US military. Both pilots survived, with one sustaining minor injuries during the incident which happened early Sunday, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).
The USS Gettysburg, a guided missile cruiser, downed the F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet shortly after it took off from the USS Harry S Truman aircraft carrier. The military said, “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.” The F/A-18 was part of Strike Fighter Squadron 11, based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia, assigned to the “Red Rippers”
It wasn’t immediately clear how the Gettysburg could mistake an F/A-18 for an enemy aircraft or missile, particularly as ships in a battle group remain linked by both radar and radio communication, as reported by the Associated Press.
CENTCOM further confirmed in its statement that, “This incident was not the result of hostile fire, and a full investigation is underway.”
At the time of the incident, US forces were conducting airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, including what Central Command described as a “missile storage facility” and a “command-and-control facility.”
On Saturday, the US announced strikes in Yemen’s capital in response to a missile attack on Tel Aviv. It also reported downing multiple Houthi drones and a missile over the Red Sea on the same day.
The US has increased its air operations against the Houthis, who have aligned with the Palestinians, since the Truman aircraft carrier arrived in the region. The Houthis have launched attacks against approximately 100 merchant ships in the Red Sea since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October.
Amid these exchange of fire, the Red Sea has become increasingly dangerous due to Houthi attacks on shipping, despite US and European naval patrols. The rebels claim their attacks target vessels linked to Israel, the US, or the UK. However, many targeted ships have no apparent connection to the conflict. The Houthis have also targeted Israel with drones and missiles.