On December 22, 2024, a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet was shot down by friendly fire over the Red Sea during a mission targeting Yemen's Houthi rebels. Both pilots ejected safely, although one sustained minor injuries. The incident occurred when the USS Gettysburg mistakenly fired on the aircraft, highlighting the complexities and dangers of military operations in the region. This incident comes as the USS Harry S. Truman carrier group had recently entered the area, coinciding with intensified U.S. airstrikes against the Houthis. The U.S. military has ramped up its operations in response to increased Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, with the Houthis claiming to have targeted around 100 vessels since the escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023, asserting that their attacks were aimed at ships linked to Israel and its allies.
Earlier in the month, on October 17, 2024, U.S. B-2 stealth bombers had conducted air strikes on five underground weapons storage locations in Houthi-controlled areas, particularly around Sanaa and Saada. U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin described the mission as a 'unique demonstration' of the U.S.'s capability to strike deeply buried and fortified facilities. This operation was a direct response to ongoing Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea, which have targeted over 80 vessels since October 2023. The B-2 bombers, valued at approximately $1 billion each, are equipped to carry the GBU-57 bomb, specifically designed for penetrating hardened targets. Initial assessments indicated no civilian casualties from those strikes.
In a related incident, near the Yemeni border, a Saudi Patriot battery successfully shot down six Houthi ballistic missiles in just 48 seconds. The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) demonstrated its effectiveness in countering Houthi missile threats, launching one missile every six seconds. This highlights the ongoing conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi militants, with the Houthis having launched nearly 400 ballistic missiles and over 800 one-way attack unmanned air systems (UAS) into Saudi Arabia between 2015 and 2022. To tackle these air defense threats, the RSAF has deployed multiple systems to the Yemeni border, including the first hard-kill engagement of a one-way attack drone using the Silent Hunter system. [1ca3ccaa][c001e561][e74387ca]