US Navy pilots shot down over Red Sea in 'friendly fire' incident
‘I really hope I’m wrong’ US military expert makes bleak prediction
GB NEWS
Two Navy pilots have been shot down over the Red Sea in a "friendly fire" incident, according to the US military.
While the American army was conducting airstrikes to target Yemen's Houthi rebels, they accidentally hit two of their own pilots during the fire.
Both individuals were recovered alive, although one sustained minor injuries.
"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, which was flying off the USS Harry S. Truman," Central Command said in a statement.
Both individuals were recovered alive, although one sustained minor injuries
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The US military did not expand any further on the details of their mission.
In its attempt to halt the war along the Gaza strip, the Houthi campaign has massively disrupted shipping routes, as many firms have chosen to travel a longer route around the top of Africa for reasons of security.
However, the Houthi leader had said earlier that "there is no problem for the Europeans, China and the whole world to pass through the Red Sea".
He added: "The only and exclusive target are ships linked to Israel."
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Additionally, he warned that any state that decides to join the military action against the rebels' naval forces would face retaliatory force.
"Whoever wants to get involved, attack our dear people and target the naval forces is actually risking their fleet and commercial ships," Houthi added.
"We hope that the rest of the Arab and Islamic countries will never get involved with the Americans, the Israelis and the British."
Ships that have passed Yemen have often faced assault by Houthi rebels ever since Israel began to launch its attacks in Gaza in response to the October 7 Hamas attacks last year.
A sunken vessel hit by Israeli forces in the Huthi-controlled port of Hodeida on the Red Sea
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Previously a local armed group, the Houthi rebels developed into a strong power once it had received backing from Iran, Iraqi armed groups, Lebanon's Hezbollah militants, Hezbollah militants, as well as other groups, according to experts at the UN.
Vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden have been attacked by the rebels, as the group has failed to uphold their previous commitment to only attack Israeli ships.
"The group's shift to actions at sea increased their influence in the region," UN experts have said.
"Such a scale of attacks, using weapon systems on civilian vessels, had never occurred since the Second World War."
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