December 22nd 2024.
In a tragic turn of events, a US fighter jet was mistakenly taken down by their own soldiers. Two pilots from the US Navy were shot down over the Red Sea on Sunday, in what is being called a "friendly fire" incident. The area where the incident took place had been occupied by US troops who were targeting Houthi rebels in Yemen.
According to reports from the news agency AP, the two pilots were able to eject themselves from the damaged aircraft and were recovered alive. However, one of the crew members of the super hornet did suffer minor injuries, as reported by CNN.
The F/A-18 aircraft, with an estimated cost of $70 million, was on a mission from the USS Harry S.Truman when it was mistakenly fired upon by the USS Gettysburg, which is part of the same carrier strike group. The US military's Central Command released a statement saying, "The guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, which is part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, mistakenly fired on and hit the F/A-18."
It is still unclear how the USS Gettysburg mistook the US fighter jet for an enemy aircraft or missile. Both the Houthi fighters and the US military have acknowledged the incident, with the latter clarifying that it was not a result of hostile fire.
This incident comes after months of heightened US military presence in the Red Sea, following the war in Gaza and the increasing tensions in the Middle East. The Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, have been targeting commercial vessels with missiles and drones in response to the Israel-Hamas conflict in the occupied Gaza Strip. This conflict has resulted in the deaths of over 45,000 Palestinian civilians, according to local health officials.
Tensions in the Middle East have been escalating, with the targeting of Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon by exploding walkie-talkies, which are believed to have been orchestrated by Israeli intelligence services in September. All eyes are now on Syria, after the long civil war resulted in the toppling of Bashar al-Assad's regime by rebel fighters. The Israeli military has been conducting operations in Syria following al-Assad's escape to Russia.
The tragic incident of the US fighter jet being mistakenly taken down serves as a reminder of the complexities and risks involved in military operations. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the injured pilots and their families, as well as to all those affected by the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
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