The USS Gravely, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, sailing in formation with the FS Forbin in the Red Sea, June 7, 2024, as part of a mission to support maritime stability and security in the Middle East region. (Credit: US Navy/AFP)
Two U.S. Navy pilots survived after their aircraft was accidentally destroyed Sunday over the Red Sea by a missile fired from an American cruiser, according to the military.
"Preliminary analysis indicates that one crew member sustained minor injuries," U.S. Central Command (Centcom) said in a statement. "The incident was not the result of hostile fire," the military added, noting that an investigation has been launched into what is being treated as a "friendly fire" incident.
Centcom reported that the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg "mistakenly fired [...] and struck" an F/A-18 fighter jet carrying the two Navy pilots, who had taken off from the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman.
The United States has deployed a multinational naval coalition in the region in response to months of attacks near Yemen by Houthi rebels, which have disrupted traffic in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden — key maritime routes for global trade.
The Iran-backed rebels, who control large parts of Yemen, have targeted vessels they associate with Israel, claiming their actions are in solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. These attacks prompted Washington to conduct strikes on rebel targets in Yemen, sometimes with British assistance.
On Saturday, the U.S. announced it had hit Houthi military installations in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, hours after a missile strike claimed by the rebels injured 16 people in central Israel. Centcom also reported intercepting rebel drones and cruise missiles over the Red Sea.