As part of an operation against the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea, the Yemeni Houthi group declared on Sunday that it had shot down a US F-18 fighter jet. The incident represents a major uptick in the persistent tensions in the region.
Yahya Saree, a spokesman for the Houthi military, said that the operation was successful and that the Houthi troops had “foiled a US-UK attack on Yemen.” Eight cruise missiles and seventeen drones were used in the operation, which targeted the carrier and the destroyers that were part of it, according to Saree. As the warships tried to intercept the drones and missiles, he said, the F-18 jet was shot down.
A US Navy F/A-18 fighter jet was shot down over the Red Sea by “friendly fire,” according to the US Central Command (CENTCOM). The disparity between the two reports highlights the divergent interpretations of the event.
This development coincides with an increase in regional tensions. Israeli aircraft attacked Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and the city of Al-Hudaydah on Thursday. These operations were a response to Houthi drone and missile attacks in the Red Sea that targeted Israeli cargo ships and vessels connected to Tel Aviv. The Houthis have presented their assaults as acts of sympathy with Gaza, where the fighting with Israel has reportedly claimed the lives of over 45,200 people since October 7, 2023.
The Red Sea has become a critical flashpoint, with increased maritime and aerial confrontations reflecting broader regional tensions. The Houthis’ claims, if verified, would mark a bold challenge to US and allied military presence in the region.
As the conflict intensifies, the situation highlights the complex and interwoven dynamics of Middle Eastern geopolitics, where local grievances and international rivalries collide on a volatile battlefield.