Yemen Monitor / Marib / Exclusive:
The Houthi armed group attacked the U.S. aircraft carrier Truman in the Red Sea on Tuesday despite President Donald Trump’s announcement of a ceasefire with the group, according to CNN, which cited four sources.
The network reported that the Iran-backed Houthi rebel group “opened fire” on the Truman on Tuesday, even after Trump declared a ceasefire agreement with the group.
Earlier, Trump had announced that the US would stop bombing the Houthis, stating that the group had agreed to stop disrupting vital shipping lanes in the Middle East.
CNN also pointed to another incident involving a second F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet that went down in the Red Sea from the USS Harry S. Truman — the second such loss from the carrier in just one week, according to the four sources.
Two individuals familiar with the incident said the aircraft crashed into the sea and has not been recovered.
According to the network, the exact circumstances remain unclear as an investigation is still underway. However, two of the individuals said the plane experienced some kind of arrestor gear failure while attempting to land on the carrier, forcing the pilot and weapons systems officer to eject. They were rescued by a helicopter and are alive, though they suffered minor injuries, one source said.
It is not yet known whether the two incidents are related. The Office of the Secretary of Defense referred all inquiries about the incidents to the U.S. Navy and U.S. Central Command. CNN has reached out to both for comment.
The fighter jet loss follows another F/A-18 that went down from the Truman just one week earlier. At that time, preliminary reports indicated that the Truman made a sharp turn to avoid Houthi fire, which contributed to the jet’s plunge into the sea.
