Yemen’s Houthis claim to have downed US fighter jet over Red Sea
(VOVWORLD) - The Houthis claimed Sunday to have shot down a US F-18 fighter jet during an attack on an aircraft carrier in the Red Sea.
 Aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (Photo: US Navy) |
They said they repelled a US-British attack on Yemeni territory, targeting the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier and several accompanying destroyers.
The operation “was carried out using eight cruise missiles and 17 drones, resulting in the downing of an F-18 fighter jet when the destroyers attempted to intercept the Yemeni drones and missiles,” Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree said.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Saturday that the US military conducted air strikes against targets linked to the Houthi rebels in Yemen’s capital Sanaa, including a missile storage facility and a command-and-control site.
On Sunday, the US military said two of its navy pilots were shot down over the Red Sea in “an apparent case of friendly fire.” Both pilots were recovered alive, though “initial assessments indicate that one of the crew members sustained minor injuries,” CENTCOM said.