Two U.S. Navy pilots were shot down overnight Saturday by friendly fire while American forces were conducting strikes on Houthi terrorists in Yemen, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).

One of the pilots sustained minor injuries during the incident, which occurred over the Red Sea.

“The guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, which is part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, mistakenly fired on and hit the F/A-18, which was flying off the USS Harry S. Truman,” CENTCOM said in a statement.

The incident came as U.S. forces conducted precision airstrikes against Houthi missile storage and command-and-control facilities in the Yemeni capital of Sana’a.

“CENTCOM forces conducted the deliberate strikes to disrupt and degrade Houthi operations, such as attacks against U.S. Navy warships and merchant vessels in the Southern Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb, and Gulf of Aden,” according to CENTCOM.

“During the operation, CENTCOM forces also shot down multiple Houthi one way attack uncrewed aerial vehicles (OWA UAV) and an anti-ship cruise missile (ASCM) over the Red Sea. The operation involved U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy assets, including F/A-18s.

“The strike reflects CENTCOM’s ongoing commitment to protect U.S. and coalition personnel, regional partners, and international shipping,” CENTCOM said.

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