The US military said on Sunday that it mistakenly shot down one of its own fighter jets over the Red Sea early on Sunday, causing both pilots to eject. Both were rescued, with one sustaining minor injuries.
The incident involved an F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet flying off the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman. The missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, part of the carrier strike group, “mistakenly fired on and hit” the plane, according to a military statement.
The Red Sea has seen intense military activity for over a year as US forces engage Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia, responsible for attacks on shipping in the region.
On Saturday, the US military reported targeting Houthi drones and missiles over the Red Sea, along with strikes on command-and-control and missile storage sites in Sanaa.
The incident came while the US military was conducting airstrikes against Houthi rebels, although Central Command did not provide further details on the mission at the time.
“The guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, which is part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, mistakenly fired on and hit the F/A-18, which was flying off the USS Harry S. Truman,” Central Command said in a statement.