Friendly fire incident over the Red Sea: US Navy pilots shot down amid Houthi conflict 

Two US Navy pilots ejected and were safely recovered after their F/A-18 Super Hornet was shot down early Sunday in a friendly fire incident over the Red Sea, according to the US military. One pilot sustained minor injuries.

The mishap occurred during US military strikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The aircraft, launched from the USS Harry S. Truman, was mistakenly targeted by the guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, part of the same carrier strike group. Central Command confirmed the incident but did not disclose mission details or respond to additional inquiries from The Associated Press.

The downed jet, a two-seat F/A-18 Super Hornet from Strike Fighter Squadron 11, known as the “Red Rippers” and based in Virginia, had been operating in the high-stakes environment of Houthi drone and missile threats. Central Command noted the Gettysburg’s actions reflected the challenges of split-second decision-making in a fast-moving conflict zone, though it remains unclear how the strike group’s systems failed to differentiate the friendly aircraft.

The USS Harry S. Truman recently entered the Middle East as tensions escalate, though its exact location in the Red Sea was undisclosed. This incident underscores the perils of operating in a volatile region amid mounting threats from Houthi forces.