United States has lost yet another aircraft over Yemen

The US Navy has experienced another loss of a fighter jet in the Red Sea, marking the second incident involving an F/A-18 Super Hornet from the USS Harry S. Truman within a week, and the third such loss since the escalation of operations against Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The aircraft reportedly went down after a failure during landing, prompting both the pilot and weapons systems officer to eject. CNN was the first to report on this incident on Tuesday, citing multiple sources familiar with the situation. An unnamed defense official informed USNI News, “The arrestment failed, leading to the aircraft going overboard. Both aviators ejected safely and were rescued by a helicopter from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 11.”

The aviators were assessed by medical personnel and found to have minor injuries, with no injuries reported among flight deck personnel. This incident coincided with the day the Iran-backed Houthi rebel group allegedly targeted the Truman, although the connection between the two events remains uncertain.

A formal investigation is currently in progress, and the US Navy has not yet confirmed the details. Just last week, another F/A-18 fell from the Truman while executing evasive maneuvers to evade incoming Houthi missile fire.

Additionally, in a separate incident last December, an F/A-18 was accidentally shot down by the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg shortly after taking off from the Truman for bombing missions against Houthi positions in Yemen. Each F/A-18 Super Hornet is estimated to cost between $60 million and $70 million, according to Pentagon figures.

The Houthis have also claimed responsibility for downing over a dozen American MQ-9 Reaper drones in the past year, each valued at around $30 million. The US has faced ongoing confrontations with the Houthis since the group began targeting shipping in the Red Sea in late 2023, asserting their actions are in support of the Palestinian people amid Israel’s military operations in Gaza.