Two U.S. Navy pilots safely ejected over the Red Sea after their F/A-18 fighter jet was shot down by what appeared to be friendly fire from the USS Gettysburg. One pilot sustained minor injuries during the ejection. The incident occurred in an area between Africa and the Middle East, where U.S. military assets are assembled to protect personnel, coalition partners, and shipping interests. The investigation into the incident is ongoing. The USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, which includes Carrier Air Wing 1, Destroyer Squadron 28, guided-missile destroyers USS Stout and USS Jason Dunham, is deployed in the region for regional stability and security.
The incident comes amid ongoing U.S. efforts to defend against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have targeted cargo ships with missile attacks. The Houthis have intensified their attacks following a 2023 incursion into Israel by Hamas militants from Gaza. The conflict has resulted in casualties on both sides, with thousands killed in Gaza by Israeli attacks. The missile launched by Houthi rebels at Tel Aviv resulted in injuries but no fatalities, and was not intercepted by Israel’s defense system.
The Houthis have condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza as “massacres” against Palestinians. The conflict in the region is ongoing, with U.S. forces continuing to target Houthi facilities and assets in Yemen in response to the attacks on shipping lanes in the Red Sea.
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