Navy pilots survive Red Sea friendly fire incident
Two American Navy pilots were struck by a ship's accidental fire while on a mission over the Red Sea, as reported by the U.S. Central Command.
The incident occurred during an operation aimed at the Houthi rebels from Yemen, according to the "Daily Mail." The missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, part of an aircraft carrier strike group, mistakenly fired and hit an F/A-18 fighter jet taking off from the same base.
Both pilots managed to eject in time and are safe, though one sustained minor injuries, added the U.S. Central Command. The American agency Associated Press described the incident as "the most serious incident to threaten troops in over a year of America targeting Yemen's Houthi rebels."
The "Daily Mail," quoting a Houthi leader, claims that the militants do not want to attack Europeans or Chinese. At the same time, the leader warned of retaliatory military actions if their people are attacked and their naval forces targeted. Since Israel's offensive in Gaza, ships passing by Yemen have been frequently attacked by the Houthi. Many companies choose to take a longer route around Africa out of safety concerns, but this generates additional costs, adds the British portal.
U.S. attacks on military facilities in Yemen
As the BBC reminds us, the incident occurred after the United States conducted a series of airstrikes on a missile depot and command facilities in Sana'a, the capital of Yemen. Houthi militants, supported by Iran, are based there.
The Americans reportedly engaged in fire over the Red Sea against many Houthi drones and an anti-ship cruise missile.
The Houthi are a rebel group supported by Iran, controlling northwestern Yemen – the BBC points out. They began attacking Israeli and international ships shortly after the start of the war in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, claiming they act in solidarity with Palestinians. They claim to attack only targets related to Israel, the USA, or the UK.
