By Courtney Kube and Dennis Romero
Two U.S. Navy pilots ejected safely over the Red Sea on Sunday after their F/A-18 fighter jet was downed, likely due to friendly fire, according to U.S. Central Command.
The F/A-18 was operating from the USS Harry S. Truman when it was hit, CENTCOM said in a statement. One of the pilots may have suffered minor injuries during the ejection, according to CENTCOM.
The USS Gettysburg, a guided missile cruiser part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, mistakenly fired on the F/A-18, CENTCOM added.
"A full investigation is underway," CENTCOM said.
The exact mission of the fighter was not disclosed.
The incident occurred Sunday morning in the region between Africa and the Middle East, an area where U.S. military forces are deployed to protect personnel, coalition allies, and global shipping interests.
On Dec. 15, CENTCOM announced that the strike group had entered its area of responsibility, which covers the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of South Asia.
The strike group also includes Carrier Air Wing 1, Destroyer Squadron 28, and two Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers: USS Stout and USS Jason Dunham, according to CENTCOM.
"The Strike Group is deployed to ensure regional stability and security," CENTCOM stated on Dec. 15.
This incident occurs amid continued U.S. defense efforts against Iran-backed Houthi rebels from Yemen, who have been attacking cargo ships with missiles, threatening global supply chains. Over the past year, U.S. forces have targeted Houthi facilities and assets in Yemen, including missile and radar systems, underground storage sites, and drone bases.
"We will continue to make clear to the Houthis that there will be consequences for their illegal and reckless attacks," Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said after U.S. forces struck Houthi weapons facilities in Yemen in November.
An estimated 12% of global trade passes through Red Sea shipping lanes daily.
Houthi attacks escalated after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led incursion into Israel, which led to Israel's retaliatory war against Hamas, with U.S. support. According to Israeli officials, the incursion left about 1,200 Israelis dead, and around 250 people were taken hostage, with over a third believed to be dead.
Since the conflict began, Israeli attacks on Gaza have killed over 45,000 people, most of them women and children, according to Palestinian health officials.
Houthi militants condemned Israel's actions in Gaza, describing them as "massacres."
On Saturday morning, a Houthi missile launched from Yemen struck Tel Aviv, injuring 14 people, though none died. The missile was not intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome defense system, according to emergency services.
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