The U.S. military announced Sunday that a U.S. Navy crew member was shot down over the Red Sea in an apparent “mutual attack” incident. Two crew members, the pilot and the weapons officer, were recovered alive in the accident, one with minor injuries.
The incident occurred when the US military conducted an airstrike on the target. Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in YemenHowever, the U.S. Central Command did not provide details about the mission at the time.
“The guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, accidentally fired and hit an F/A-18 flying from the USS Harry S. Truman,” Central Command said. Announced. statement.
It was not immediately clear how Gettysburg could have mistaken the F/A-18 for an enemy aircraft or missile, especially since ships in a battle group are linked by both radar and radio communications.
CENTCOM reported early Saturday that it conducted precision airstrikes on missile storage facilities and command and control facilities in Houthi-held territory in Sanaa, Yemen.
The strike was carried out in response to the ongoing situation. Houthi attack CENTCOM announced that it is targeting U.S. Navy warships and commercial vessels in the Southern Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Bab al-Mandab Strait.
During the operation, CENTCOM forces also shot down several Houthi attack drones and anti-ship cruise missiles over the Red Sea.
Early Saturday morning, a rocket fired from yemen At least 16 people were injured in attacks that hit parts of Tel Aviv. The Houthis said in a statement on Telegram that they had aimed a hypersonic ballistic missile at a military target, but did not specify the target.
Since Truman’s arrival, the United States has stepped up airstrikes targeting the Houthis and missile launches into the Red Sea and surrounding areas. However, the presence of a group of American warships could provoke new attacks from rebel forces. What USS Dwight D. Eisenhower saw earlier this year. The development was distinctive The battle was described by the Navy as the bloodiest battle since World War II.
Houthi-affiliated media on Saturday reported US military attacks both in Sanaa and around the port city of Hodeidah, but did not provide any casualty or damage information. In Sanaa, the attack appears to have specifically targeted a mountainside known for its military installations. The Houthis have denied that the plane was shot down in the Red Sea.
Houthis targeted Since then, about 100 commercial ships equipped with missiles and drones have joined the effort in solidarity with the militant group Hamas. israel-hamas war In the Gaza Strip, it will begin in October 2023.
Houthis seize one ship and sunk two Four sailors were also killed in the operation. Other missiles and drones have either: intercepted In the Red Sea, separate coalitions led by the United States and Europe either attacked or failed to achieve their goals, which also included Western warships.
The rebels claim they are targeting vessels with ties to Israel, the United States, or the United Kingdom in order to force an end to Israel’s operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. However, many of the ships attacked had little or no connection to the conflict, including those bound for Iran.
The Houthis have also increasingly targeted Israel itself with drones and missiles, resulting in retaliatory airstrikes by Israel.
