A U.S. Navy cruiser mistakenly shot down an F/A-18 fighter jet in the skies over the Red Sea

A U.S. Navy missile cruiser hit a U.S. F/A-18 fighter jet in the skies above the Red Sea with "friendly fire". This was reported by CBS News on December 21, citing the U.S. Central Command of the U.S. Armed Forces (CENTCOM).

"The missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, part of the aircraft carrier strike group USS Harry S. Truman, mistakenly fired on and struck an F/A-18 that was flying from the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman," the publication said.

It is specified that both pilots of the fighter jet survived. One of them received minor injuries. The incident occurred during airstrikes on the objects of the Yemeni Houthis.

Engaged in attack: Houthis intensify strikes on Israel amid truce in Lebanon

And while the Yemeni movement fills the vacuum, there has been diplomatic activity on the Gaza ceasefire

Earlier in the day, it was reported that Yemen's capital Sanaa was hit by a massive airstrike. According to state broadcaster Kan, the attack was carried out by the international anti-terrorist coalition led by the US.

Later, the Central Command of the US Armed Forces confirmed the strikes. It is specified that the targets were a missile depot and an operational center of the Houthis.

Before that, on December 16, the Central Command of the U.S. Armed Forces said that an airstrike was carried out on the building of the Ministry of Defense of the Houthis in the city of Sanaa. The facility hit by the airstrike was the center of coordination of the Houthi operations.

The Houthis began striking ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since last November to protest Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip. On the night of Jan. 12, in response to their actions, the U.S. and Britain launched an attack on Houthi targets in Yemen. The White House said the strikes on movement-controlled areas of the country were defensive in nature. It was also claimed at the time that the strikes were carried out to protect international vessels.