The U.S. military announced that it accidentally downed one of its fighter jets over the Red Sea early Sunday morning, forcing the pilots to eject.
According to a statement from U.S. Central Command, both pilots were rescued, with one sustaining minor injuries in what appears to be a "friendly fire incident" that is still under investigation.
The statement noted that the F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet was flying over the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman. It added that one of the carrier's escort ships, the missile cruiser Gettysburg, mistakenly fired upon and hit the jet.
This incident highlights the danger of the Red Sea corridor, which has seen a year of continuous attacks on ships by Houthi rebels in Yemen, despite the presence of U.S. and European military patrols in the area.
At the time of the incident, U.S. forces were conducting airstrikes targeting Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Central Command statement did not provide additional details about the mission.
It remains unclear how the Gettysburg cruiser could confuse an F/A-18 jet with a hostile aircraft or missile, especially since ships in a battle group remain linked by radar and wireless communications.
Nonetheless, Central Command stated that warships and aircraft had previously downed several drones and an anti-ship missile launched by the Houthi rebels. Attacks from the Houthis had previously forced sailors to make split-second decisions.