US fighter jet shot down over Red Sea in ‘friendly fire’ strike after warplanes sent on secret Houthi mission

A US fighter jet has been shot down over the Red Sea in a “friendly fire” strike after warplanes were sent on a secret Houthi mission.

The incident has been dubbed the most serious to threaten troops in over a year of US targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

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An F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet takes off from the flight deck of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower[/caption]

Two pilots were recovered alive after ejecting from their stricken aircraft, with one suffering minor injuries.

But the shootdown underlines just how dangerous the Red Sea corridor has become over the ongoing attacks on shipping by the Iranian-backed Houthis despite US and European military coalitions patrolling the area.

The US military had conducted airstrikes targeting Yemens Houthi rebels at the time, though the US militarys Central Command did not elaborate on what their mission.

The F/A-18 shot down had just flown off the deck of the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, Central Command said.

On Dec. 15, Central Command acknowledged the Truman had entered the Mideast, but hadn’t specified that the carrier and its battle group was in the Red Sea.

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