Two U.S. Navy pilots were shot down over the Red Sea on Sunday in what appeared to be a case of “friendly fire,” according to the U.S. military in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This incident, the most serious in over a year of America targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels, highlights the dangers faced by troops patrolling the region. The pilots were safely recovered after ejecting from their aircraft, with one sustaining minor injuries. The shootdown underscores the risks posed by ongoing attacks on shipping by the Iranian-backed Houthis, despite U.S. and European military coalitions patrolling the area.
The U.S. military had been conducting airstrikes targeting the Houthi rebels at the time of the incident. The aircraft shot down was an F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier. The guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, part of the carrier strike group, mistakenly fired on and hit the F/A-18.
It remains unclear how the mistake occurred, given the radar and radio communication among ships in the battle group. The presence of the American warship group may provoke further attacks from the rebels, similar to previous incidents involving the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. The U.S. has increased its airstrikes targeting the Houthis and their missile activities in the Red Sea area since the Truman’s arrival.
Recent airstrikes in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and around Hodeida targeted a missile storage facility and a command-and-control facility. The strikes were met with reports of retaliatory attacks from the Houthis. The conflict has resulted in casualties and damage, with the Houthis also engaging in attacks on merchant vessels.
The Houthis’ actions come in the context of wider regional conflicts, including the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, which has seen significant casualties on both sides. The situation remains tense, with ongoing military operations and risks of further escalations in the region.
Drones have either been intercepted by separate U.S.- and European-led coalitions in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets, which have also included Western military vessels. The rebels maintain that they target ships linked to Israel, the U.S., or the United Kingdom to force an end to Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran. The Houthis also have increasingly targeted Israel itself with drones and missiles, resulting in retaliatory Israeli airstrikes.
