Due to Mistaken Identity: American Fighter Jet Shot Down Over Red Sea
Due to mistaken identity: An F/A-18 fighter jet was shot down by "friendly" fire over the Red Sea. Both pilots were rescued alive, with one sustaining only minor injuries.
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Serious Incident: The United States military announced that an F/A-18 fighter jet was shot down early morning (Sunday) by what was described as "friendly fire" over the Red Sea.
Both pilots were rescued alive from the downed jet, with one suffering only minor injuries.
The incident occurred as the U.S. military conducted strikes against the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
One of the aircraft involved in the incident was launched from the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman, which arrived in the Middle East just last week. The United States Central Command has launched a comprehensive investigation to determine how the serious mistake occurred.
Over the weekend, United States forces attacked the Yemeni capital Sana'a. A missile storage facility was struck, including a command and control system of the Houthis.
"Central Command forces conducted targeted strikes to disrupt Houthi operations, such as attacks against U.S. Navy warships and commercial vessels in the southern Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb, and the Gulf of Aden," stated the American military announcement.
Reports from Yemen spoke of loud explosions in the capital city, and Yemeni media claimed they were powerful warhead missiles aimed at military sites of the Houthi rebels in the city.