US Navy forces mistakenly shot down an F/A-18 Super Hornet over the Red Sea on Sunday. The two pilots on board ejected and were later rescued, although one sustained minor injuries. The USS Gettysburg, a guided missile cruiser, fired the missile that struck the aircraft. This incident represents one of the most severe risks to US forces in the ongoing operations against Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
The F/A-18 had launched moments earlier from the USS Harry S. Truman. The Truman is part of a strike group stationed in the Red Sea to monitor and counter threats from Houthi missile and drone attacks. The US military has not provided additional information about the mission or the cause of the misfire.
Rising dangers in the region
Hostilities in the Red Sea have intensified due to repeated attacks by Houthi forces. The rebels have targeted commercial shipping, using missiles and drones. Since October 2023, when the conflict in Gaza escalated, more than 100 vessels have come under threat. The Houthis claim these attacks aim to pressure Israel and its allies.
US warships and aircraft responded by intercepting several Houthi-launched drones and a cruise missile before the friendly fire incident. Crews often have only seconds to make decisions during these high-stress encounters. These conditions likely contributed to the error that downed the Navy jet.
Strikes on Houthi targets
In response to rebel actions, US aircraft carried out airstrikes in Yemen over the weekend. Key sites in Sanaa, the Houthi-held capital, were among the targets. The strikes reportedly hit a missile storage facility and a command centre. Further operations took place near the port city of Hodeida.
Houthi-controlled media confirmed the airstrikes but did not report casualties or damage. The rebel group has intensified its activity in the Red Sea, attacking vessels linked to Israel, the US, and other nations. Many of the targeted ships, however, have no direct connection to the ongoing conflicts.
Since these attacks began, the Houthis have seized one vessel and sunk two others, resulting in four sailors’ deaths. Interceptions by US- and European-led forces have stopped many strikes, but tensions in the region remain high.
