A U.S. Navy warship engaging in operations against Houthi rebels in the Red Sea has accidentally shot down one of its own F-18 fighter jets, raising concerns about combat coordination and identification protocols in the region. Thankfully, both pilots were rescued safely.
According to U.S. media outlets, including the AP, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) released a statement on Sunday and confirmed that a U.S. Navy F-18 Super Hornet was shot down by friendly fire while conducting operations over the Red Sea.
According to CENTCOM, the fighter jet had just launched from the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75), a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, when friendly forces engaged it. The USS Gettysburg (CG-64), a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser tasked with carrier escort duties, mistakenly targeted and fired upon the aircraft. While the specific weapons system used in the engagement has not been disclosed, the two pilots on board were successfully rescued, with one reportedly sustaining minor injuries.
The AP noted that before the friendly fire incident, the U.S. Navy vessels had successfully intercepted multiple anti-ship missiles and suicide drones launched by Houthi forces. It also reported that it remains unclear how the USS Gettysburg’s advanced combat systems misidentified the F-18 as a hostile target.
This incident follows recent U.S. and coalition airstrikes against Houthi command and control facilities and missile storage sites in Sana’a, Yemen, conducted on December 21-22. In response, the rebels launched anti-ship cruise missiles and drones. According to Russian news agency TASS, the Houthi rebels claimed through their media outlet Al-Masirah TV to have launched eight cruise missiles and seventeen drones to attack U.S. naval assets, including the USS Harry S. Truman, in retaliation for U.S. and U.K. airstrikes. They also stated that they had shot down one F-18 in the process.
The Houthi rebels, who oppose Israel’s military operations in Gaza and Western support for Israel, have been conducting indiscriminate attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea since November of last year. These attacks have disrupted global trade routes through the critical Suez Canal. In response, the United States and the Western nations have formed a multinational naval task force, Operation Prosperity Guardian, to safeguard maritime traffic in the region since December last year.
