DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Two U.S. Navy pilots had been shot down Sunday over the Red Sea in an obvious “pleasant fireplace” incident, the usmilitary mentioned, marking essentially the most critical incident to threaten troops in over a 12 months of America concentrating on Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
Both pilots had been recovered alive, with one struggling minor accidents, however the incident underlines simply how harmful the Red Sea hall has turn into over the continuing assaults on transport by the Iranian-backed Houthis regardless of U.S. and European army coalitions patrolling the world.
The U.S. army had carried out airstrikes concentrating on Yemen’s Houthi rebels on the time, although the U.S. army’s Central Command didn’t elaborate on what their mission was and didn’t instantly reply to questions from The Associated Press.
The F/A-18 shot down had simply flown off the deck of the USS Harry S. Truman plane service, Central Command mentioned. On Dec. 15, Central Command acknowledged the Truman had entered the Mideast, however hadn’t specified that the service and its battle group was within the Red Sea.
“The guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, which is a part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, mistakenly fired on and hit the F/A-18,” Central Command mentioned in a press release.
It wasn’t instantly clear how the Gettysburg may mistake an F/A-18 for an enemy plane or missile, notably as ships in a battle group stay linked by each radar and radio communication. However, Central Command mentioned that warships and plane earlier shot down a number of Houthi drones and an anti-ship cruise missile launched by the rebels.
Since the Truman’s arrival, the U.S. has stepped up its airstrikes concentrating on the Houthis and their missile fireplace into the Red Sea and the encircling space. However, the presence of an American warship group could spark renewed assaults from the rebels, like what the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower noticed final 12 months. That deployment marked what the Navy described as its most intense fight since World War II.
The Houthis have focused about 100 service provider vessels with missiles and drones for the reason that Israel-Hamas struggle within the Gaza Strip began in October 2023 after Hamas’ shock assault on Israel that killed 1,200 individuals and noticed 250 others taken hostage.
Israel’s grinding offensive in Gaza has killed greater than 45,000 Palestinians, native well being officers say. The tally doesn’t distinguish between combatants and civilians.
The Houthis have seized one vessel and sunk two in a marketing campaign that has additionally killed 4 sailors. Other missiles and drones have both been intercepted by separate U.S.- and European-led coalitions within the Red Sea or failed to succeed in their targets, which have additionally included Western army vessels.
The rebels preserve that they aim ships linked to Israel, the U.S. or the United Kingdom to pressure an finish to Israel’s marketing campaign towards Hamas in Gaza. However, lots of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the battle, together with some sure for Iran.
