Navy pilots shot down over Red Sea
A US Navy F/A-18 jet was shot down over the Red Sea, with both pilots safely ejecting and sustaining only minor injuries.
The US military confirmed that the jet was mistakenly hit by a guided missile cruiser in an apparent case of friendly fire. “The guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, mistakenly fired on and hit the F/A-18,” Centcom (the US military’s Central Command) stated. An investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances of the incident.
On December 21, Centcom conducted airstrikes on a missile storage facility and a command-and-control center in Houthi-controlled Sana’a, Yemen. The F/A-18 had been participating in this operation.
Despite the US-EU military coalition’s efforts to secure the region, Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels remain a significant threat. The Houthis, who have controlled much of Yemen since 2014, frequently launch drone and missile attacks, targeting ships navigating the Red Sea. Over the past year, they have attacked more than 100 merchant vessels, including those belonging to nations uninvolved in the Israel-Gaza conflict.
The Houthis officially support the Palestinian cause and have even launched missile and drone strikes on Israel, according to the IDF. However, their attacks on unrelated vessels raise questions about their broader intentions and the effectiveness of Western efforts to stabilize the region.
Carlo Manca
