Two US Navy pilots shot down over Red Sea in apparent ‘friendly fire’ incident, US military says

DUBAI – Two U.S. Navy pilots have been shot down Sunday over the Pink Sea in an obvious “pleasant fireplace” incident, the usmilitary stated.

Each pilots have been recovered alive, with one struggling minor accidents, however the incident underlines simply how harmful the Pink Sea hall has change into after a yr of ongoing assaults on transport by Yemen’s Houthi rebels regardless of U.S. and European navy coalitions patrolling the world.

The U.S. navy had carried out airstrikes concentrating on Yemen’s Houthi rebels on the time, although the U.S. navy’s Central Command didn’t elaborate on what their mission was.

“The guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, which is a part of the usHarry S. Truman Provider Strike Group, mistakenly fired on and hit the F/A-18, which was flying off the usHarry S. Truman,” Central Command stated in an announcement.

The Houthis have focused about 100 service provider vessels with missiles and drones for the reason that Israel-Hamas battle within the Gaza Strip began in October 2023 after Hamas’ shock assault on Israel that killed 1,200 folks and noticed 250 others taken hostage.

Israel’s grinding offensive in Gaza has killed greater than 45,000 Palestinians, native well being officers say. The tally doesn’t distinguish between combatants and civilians.

The Houthis have seized one vessel and sunk two in a campaign that has additionally killed 4 sailors. Different missiles and drones have both been intercepted by separate U.S.- and European-led coalitions within the Pink Sea or failed to succeed in their targets, which have additionally included Western navy vessels.

The rebels keep that they aim ships linked to Israel, the U.S. or the UK to drive an finish to Israel’s marketing campaign in opposition to Hamas in Gaza. Nevertheless, most of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the battle, together with some certain for Iran.