DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Two U.S. Navy pilots have been shot down Sunday over the Red Sea in an obvious “pleasant fireplace” incident, the U.S. army stated, marking probably the most severe incident to threaten troops in over a 12 months of American assaults. Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
Both pilots have been recovered alive after ejecting from their stricken plane, one in every of whom suffered minor accidents. But the capturing down highlights how harmful the Red Sea hall has grow to be attributable to continued assaults on ships by the Iran-backed Houthis, regardless of US and European army coalitions patrolling the realm.
The U.S. army had been conducting airstrikes in opposition to Yemen’s Houthi rebels on the time, though the U.S. Army Central Command didn’t clarify what their mission was and didn’t instantly reply to questions from The Associated Press.
Trustworthy information and every day delights, straight to your inbox
See for your self: The Yodel is your go-to supply for every day information, leisure and feel-good tales.
The downed F/A-18 had simply taken off from the deck of the plane service USS Harry S. Truman, Central Command stated. On December 15, Central Command acknowledged that Truman had entered the Middle East, however didn’t specify that the service and its battle group have been within the Red Sea.
“The guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, a part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, mistakenly fired and hit the F/A-18,” Central Command stated in an announcement.
From the army’s description, the downed aircraft was a two-seat F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter assigned to the “Red Rippers” of Strike Fighter Squadron 11 at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia.
It wasn’t instantly clear how the Gettysburg may mistake an F/A-18 for an enemy plane or missile, particularly since ships in a battle group stay linked by each radar and radio communications.
However, the Central Command stated warships and plane had beforehand shot down a number of Houthi drones and an anti-ship cruise missile launched by the rebels. In the previous, hostile fireplace from the Houthis has given sailors solely seconds to make choices.
Since Truman’s arrival, the United States has stepped up its airstrikes in opposition to the Houthis and its missile launches within the Red Sea and the encircling space. However, the presence of a bunch of American warships may spark new assaults by rebels, just like the one seen earlier this 12 months by the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. That deployment marked what the Navy described as its most intense combat since World War II.
On Saturday evening and early Sunday morning, US warplanes carried out airstrikes that shook Sanaa, the capital of Yemen that the Houthis have held since 2014. Central Command described the strikes as focusing on a “missile storage facility” and a “command and management construction,” with out elaborating.
Houthi-controlled media reported assaults each in Sanaa and across the port metropolis of Hodeida, with out providing any data on casualties or injury. In Sanaa, the assaults appeared notably focused in opposition to a mountain identified to host army installations. The Houthis didn’t acknowledge the downing of the aircraft within the Red Sea.
The Houthis have focused round 100 service provider ships with missiles and drones because the conflict between Israel and Hamas within the Gaza Strip started in October 2023, following Hamas’ shock assault on Israel that killed 1,200 folks and noticed one other 250 taken hostage.
Israel’s devastating offensive in Gaza has killed greater than 45,000 Palestinians, native well being officers say. The depend doesn’t distinguish between combatants and civilians.
The Houthis do seized a ship AND they sank two in one campaign which additionally killed 4 sailors. Other missiles and drones have been intercepted by separate US- and European-led coalitions within the Red Sea or failed to achieve their targets, which additionally included Western naval vessels.
The rebels say they’re focusing on ships linked to Israel, the US or the UK to power an finish to Israel’s marketing campaign in opposition to Hamas in Gaza. However, lots of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the battle, together with some certain for Iran.
The Houthis have additionally more and more focused Israel itself with drones and missiles, leading to retaliatory Israeli airstrikes.
