A Navy fighter jet from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier fell into the Red Sea following a failed landing Tuesday. The F/A-18F jet, valued at $67M, was the second aircraft to fall from the carrier in eight days. All crew were reported safe in both instances, with one crew member sustaining minor injuries.
The Truman has been a key component in Operation Rough Rider, an air campaign ordered by President Donald Trump against Yemen’s Houthi rebels in March in response to the Houthis’ targeting of ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The US conducted more than 1,000 strikes, costing over $1B in munitions, before an Oman-brokered ceasefire this week. US officials say Houthis did not strike either of the jets that fell into the sea. Separately, the Houthis pledged to continue tit-for-tat strikes with Israel, which they say was not included in the ceasefire deal. Estimates reveal an Israeli strike on Yemen’s international airport in Sanaa this week caused about $500M in damage, leaving the airport out of service