Houthi Claims Drone Strike on US F/A-18 Jet over Red Sea; US Blames Friendly Fire
The Houthi rebels of Yemen have asserted responsibility for shooting down a U.S. Navy F/A-18 fighter jet over the Red Sea last Sunday. However, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) maintains that the jet crashed due to an "inadvertent weapons release" from the guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg.
Both the F/A-18 jet and the USS Gettysburg are part of the strike group centered around the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, which has been carrying out airstrikes against the Houthis. Retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Karen Kwiatkowski has disputed CENTCOM’s account, lending credence to the Houthi claim.
In an interview with Sputnik on Tuesday, Kwiatkowski argued, "We know the Houthis are battle-hardened, resilient, intelligent, and highly motivated." She pointed out the Houthis’ possession of various unmanned aerial vehicles and hypersonic missiles, as well as their long-standing fight against Western influence in the region.
Kwiatkowski cited three reasons for questioning CENTCOM’s narrative:
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Pentagon’s Reluctance to Admit "Friendly Fire": The U.S. military typically avoids acknowledging friendly fire incidents due to the stigma attached. The swift admission in this case could suggest a more embarrassing truth.
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Lack of Domestic Media Coverage: The incident received minimal coverage in U.S. domestic media, except for reports on the pilots’ safety.
- No Mention of Damage to USS Gettysburg: If a missile had indeed been fired from the cruiser, one would expect some mention of damage to the ship or its defensive systems.
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