The United States Navy unintentionally shot down one of its F/A-18 Super Hornet jets over the Red Sea. The two pilots safely ejected and were rescued, with one sustaining minor injuries.
This marks the largest incident involving US military forces since they began targeting Houthi positions in Yemen a year ago. The jet had just taken off from the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman when it was struck by a missile fired from another ship in the convoy.
The reasons for the incident remain unclear. Meanwhile, the US conducted additional airstrikes against Houthi rebel targets in Yemen, hitting a command center and a missile storage facility in Sanaa.
The Houthis reported strikes in the port city of Hodeida as well. There is no information on casualties in Yemen.
Since October last year, the Houthis have attacked commercial vessels in the Red Sea, following Hamas’s assault on Israel. The Houthis are allies of Hamas and Iran.
The US leads a coalition countering these attacks. The Netherlands previously participated with the naval vessels HNLMS Tromp and HNLMS Doorman.
Source: NOS