The U.S. shot down two U.S. Navy pilots over the Red Sea in an “apparent incident”

Two U.S. Navy pilots were shot down over the Red Sea on Sunday in an “apparent friendly fire attack,” the U.S. military said, in the country’s worst incident in more than a year against Yemen’s Houthi rebel threat.

Two pilots were rescued after ejecting from the crashed plane, one of whom suffered minor injuries. But the incident highlighted how dangerous the Red Sea corridor has become as Iran-backed Houthi rebels launch ongoing attacks on shipping despite U.S. and European military coalition patrols in the area.

The U.S. military carried out air strikes against the Houthi rebels in Yemen at the time, but the military’s Central Command (Centcom) did not elaborate on what their mission was.

Central Command said the downed F/A-18 had just flown off the deck of the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier. On December 15, Central Command acknowledged that the Truman had entered the Middle East but did not specify that the aircraft carrier and its battle group were located in the Red Sea.

“The guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, mistakenly opened fire on and hit an F/A-18,” Central Command said in a statement. The incident is under investigation.

According to the military’s description, the downed aircraft was a two-seat F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter belonging to the 11th Strike Fighter Wing 4 “Red Ripper” at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. hand”.

Related: U.S. seeks stronger UN powers to intercept Red Sea cargo bound for Yemen’s Houthis

It is unclear how the Gettysburg mistook the F/A-18 for an enemy aircraft or missile, especially since the ships in the battle group were still in contact via radar and radio communications.

However, Central Command said warships and aircraft had earlier shot down multiple Houthi drones and an anti-ship cruise missile launched by the rebels. In the past, enemy fire from the Houthis has given sailors only seconds to make a decision.

After the arrival of the Truman, the United States stepped up air strikes against the Houthis and launched missiles into the Red Sea and surrounding areas. However, the presence of a group of U.S. warships could trigger a new wave of rebel attacks, as happened earlier this year against the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. The deployment marks what the Navy says is the most intense fighting since World War II.

On Saturday night and early Sunday, U.S. warplanes carried out airstrikes on the Yemeni capital Sanaa, which the Houthis have controlled since 2014. “Command and Control Center” facility.

According to Central Command, its forces have conducted “deliberate attacks to disrupt and degrade Houthi operations, such as attacks on U.S. Navy warships and commercial vessels in the Southern Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden.”

Central Command said its forces also shot down multiple Houthi fighters, one-way attacks, unmanned aerial vehicles and an anti-ship cruise missile over the Red Sea.

Houthi-controlled media reported attacks around Sanaa and the port city of Hodeidah, but did not provide any information on casualties or damage. In Sana’a, the attacks appeared to be particularly targeting hillsides known to be home to military installations. The Houthis later admitted that the plane was shot down over the Red Sea.

Houthi armed spokesman Yahya Sarri claimed in a statement released on Sunday that “in response to the US and British aggression against our country,” the Houthi armed forces successfully “thwarted the US and British attack on our country.”

Saare went on to say that the operation “used eight cruise missiles and 17 drones” and claimed that the Houthis shot down the F/A-18 fighter jet.

Since the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip broke out in October 2023, the Houthis have targeted about 100 commercial ships with missiles and drones.

The Houthis seized one ship, sank two vessels and killed four sailors in a battle. Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by the U.S.- and European-led coalition in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets, including by Western warships.

The rebels insist they are targeting vessels with links to Israel, the United States or Britain in an effort to pressure Israel to end Hamas’ operations in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked had little to do with the conflict, including some bound for Iran.

The Houthis have also increasingly targeted the Israeli mainland with drones and missiles, leading Israel to carry out retaliatory air strikes.

Earlier this week, U.S. envoy to Yemen Tim Lenderking said the U.S. was seeking to increase U.N. powers to intercept Red Sea cargo heading to ports controlled by Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Referring to the United Nations Verification and Inspection Mission in Yemen, Lenderking said: “The United Nations Verification Mission in Yemen does not have the capability to conduct interceptions and is not authorized to conduct interception missions. We are working with our partners to consider changes to the mission. We all must Closing the leaks requires a different mindset and a different focus than just escorting the ships.

• Reporting by The Associated Press and Maya Yang