US Navy Pilots Shot Down in ‘Friendly Fire’ Incident over Red Sea

Two U.S. Navy pilots were shot down early Sunday over the Red Sea in what the American military has called “an apparent case of friendly fire.” The incident occurred when the USS Gettysburg, a guided missile cruiser, mistakenly fired on and hit an F/A-18 fighter aircraft flown by the pilots, who were operating from the USS Harry S. Truman.

Both pilots were recovered alive, but U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that one of the crew members sustained minor injuries. CENTCOM confirmed that the incident was not caused by hostile fire, and a full investigation is now underway.

This mistake comes amid heightened tensions in the region, with the U.S. military heavily involved in countering attacks by Yemen’s Huthi rebels, who have targeted merchant vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, claiming some are Israeli-linked. The U.S. military recently struck targets in Yemen’s rebel-controlled capital and downed several Huthi drones and missiles in the Red Sea.
The Huthi rebels, who have expressed support for Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, have been a key player in the volatile maritime security situation in the region. The incident underscores the risks faced by military operations in the area as tensions with the rebels persist.