Two U.S. Navy Pilots Shot Down Over Red Sea In ‘Friendly Fire’ Incident

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Two U.S. Navy pilots were shot down over the Red Sea on Saturday in what the military  is referring to as a “friendly fire incident,” the U.S. Military announced in a statement. Both pilots survived the accidental shoot-down after they successfully from their aircraft, with one of them suffering minor injuries.

The incident comes amidst heightened tensions in the Red Sea due to Iran-backed attacks on shipping in the crucial sea corridor. Attacks have primarily been launched by Houthi rebels, whom have persisted despite the presence of U.S. and European naval assets patrolling the area.

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The U.S. Military launched a series of airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen on Saturday, though details of the operation have not been provided to the public.

U.S. Central Command announced that the downed aircraft was a two-seat F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet assigned to the “Red Rippers” of Strike Fighter Squadron 11 out of Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The F/A-18 had taken off from the deck of the USS Harry Truman aircraft carrier, according to U.S. Central Command.

On December 15, Central Command confirmed that the Truman had deployed to the Middle East, though they did not provide specifics on the particular region. “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,” Central Command said in a statement.

It is unclear how the cruiser was able to shoot down the friendly F/A-18, as ships and aircraft in a battle group are linked by radar and radio communication, Fox News reported.

Central Command further announced that U.S. naval assets had shot down several Houthi drones and an anti-ship cruise missile launched by the Iran-backed group. Houthi attacks on U.S. military assets have increased over the last year, forcing sailors to fire back on multiple occasions. Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, the Houthis have launched attacks on more than 100 merchant vessels in the Red Sea.

On Saturday evening, the U.S. intensified airstrikes on Houthi targets in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, which has been occupied by the rebel group for more than a decade. Central Command said the strikes targeted a “missile storage facility” and a “command-and-control facility.”

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