Two U.S. Navy Pilots Shot Down by Friendly Fire Over Red Sea [WATCH]

Two U.S. Navy pilots survived being shot down Sunday over the Red Sea in what the U.S. military described as a “friendly fire” incident.

BREAKING | FRIENDLY FIRE FAIL: U.S. NAVY SHOOTS DOWN ITS OWN JET

In a cringe-worthy mistake, the USS Gettysburg took out a U.S. Navy F/A-18 flying off the USS Harry S. Truman during airstrikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

Both pilots survived, ejecting safely into the Red Sea.… pic.twitter.com/5AWEyy6LWW

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) December 22, 2024

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The pilots, flying a two-seat F/A-18 Super Hornet, ejected safely from the aircraft and were later recovered.

One of the pilots sustained minor injuries.

The incident underscores the heightened risks in the Red Sea corridor, where Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have conducted ongoing attacks on shipping, despite the presence of U.S. and European military coalitions patrolling the area.

#BREAKING: A U.S. F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet was just SH0T DOWN by a U.S. guided missile destroyer over the Red Sea

This pretty much sums up Biden’s military for you.

The Two Navy F/A 18F Super Hornet pilots were were able to eject, were thankfully rescued, and suffered… pic.twitter.com/9wDeRChX96

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) December 22, 2024

The Red Sea has become a focal point of regional tension, particularly amid the conflict involving Israel and Hamas.

The downed F/A-18 was assigned to the “Red Rippers” of Strike Fighter Squadron 11, based out of Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia.

It had just launched from the USS Harry S. Truman, an aircraft carrier that recently arrived in the Middle East.

According to U.S. Central Command, the guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, part of the Truman Carrier Strike Group, mistakenly fired on and struck the fighter jet.

Central Command did not provide details on how the Gettysburg mistook the F/A-18 for a hostile target, especially given the integrated radar and communication systems used by ships and aircraft within a battle group.

The friendly fire incident occurred as U.S. forces in the region were responding to threats from Houthi forces.

U.S. warships and aircraft reportedly intercepted multiple Houthi-launched drones and an anti-ship cruise missile.

Such threats have forced rapid decision-making among sailors and airmen, a factor that may have contributed to the error.

The Truman Carrier Strike Group has ramped up operations in the area since its arrival, including airstrikes targeting Houthi-controlled sites in Yemen.

The Chief of Naval Operations must resign immediately pic.twitter.com/lSgz0DRwOV

— Jack Poso (@JackPosobiec) December 22, 2024

Over the weekend, U.S. warplanes struck what Central Command described as a “missile storage facility” and a “command-and-control facility” in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa.

Houthi-controlled media also reported strikes around the port city of Hodeida but provided no details on casualties or damage.

The Houthis later acknowledged the aircraft being shot down in the Red Sea but offered no additional context.

The group, which has targeted nearly 100 merchant vessels with drones and missiles since the Israel-Hamas conflict began in October 2023, claims its actions are meant to pressure Israel, the U.S., and the U.K. to end Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.

However, many of the vessels targeted by the Houthis have no apparent connection to the ongoing conflict, including some bound for Iran.

In addition to targeting commercial ships, the Houthis have launched drones and missiles at Israel, prompting retaliatory airstrikes from Israeli forces.

The escalation of Houthi activity has drawn international condemnation and heightened the risks for military and civilian operations in the region.

The U.S. military continues to assess the circumstances surrounding the friendly fire incident as tensions in the Red Sea and the surrounding areas remain high.

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