Sanaa announces downing F/A-18, hitting vital Israeli military sites
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The Yemeni Armed Forces also downed an F-18 fighter jet during an operation that forced the USS Truman to retreat toward the northern Red Sea.
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YAF spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree. (ScreenGrab/Official statement)
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Brigadier General Yahya Saree announced a significant escalation in Yemen's ongoing defense campaign, confirming that the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a precision drone operation targeting the US aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and its escort warships in the Arabian Sea.
"We carried out a military operation targeting the US aircraft carrier Vinson and several of its accompanying warships in the Arabian Sea," the spokesman declared.
"The operation against the Vinson and its escort vessels was executed using multiple drones."
The bold move came just one day after what Saree described as a victorious confrontation with another US carrier group.
"The targeting of the Vinson came 24 hours after the blessed operation that forced the US aircraft carrier Truman to retreat," he stated. "The blessed operation forced Truman to withdraw to the far northern Red Sea toward the Suez Canal."
"Among the results of the blessed operation against Truman was the downing of an F-18 fighter jet and the foiling of an aerial attack the enemy had begun executing against our country."
"Another outcome of the blessed operation was the pursuit of the Truman with missiles and drones all the way to the far north of the Red Sea."
The Resistance did not limit its response to American aggression. Saree also confirmed a dual drone operation targeting strategic positions inside occupied Palestine.
"We carried out a dual military operation targeting vital and military sites of the Israeli enemy in the occupied Yafa area using three Yafa-type drones," he said. "We also carried out a military operation against a vital target of the Israeli enemy in the occupied Ashkelon area using a 'Yafa'-type drone."
The spokesperson reaffirmed Yemen's steadfast position in the face of imperial aggression.
"We affirm to our people and the free people of our nation that, with God's help, we are capable of standing firm and confronting the enemy despite its capabilities and resources."
"By God's grace, we have succeeded in foiling the aggression, and we will continue, with trust in God, to resist it. We will continue, confident in God, to support the oppressed Palestinian people until the aggression on Gaza stops and the siege is lifted."
The US had claimed it lost an F/A-18 Super Hornet days ago to a towing incident aboard the USS Harry Truman.
US loses F/A-18 from USS Truman in Red Sea in suspicious incident
An F/A-18 Super Hornet Red Sea incident occurred when the US Navy lost both a fighter jet and a tow tractor from the USS Harry Truman aircraft carrier, currently stationed in the region for relentlessly bombing Yemen, resulting in a minor injury to one sailor, the US Navy claimed on Monday.
According to a press release, "USS Harry S. Truman lost an F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 136 and a tow tractor as the aircraft carrier operated in the Red Sea, April 28. All personnel are accounted for, with one sailor sustaining a minor injury."
The fighter jet reportedly fell overboard after the move crew lost control while towing the aircraft within the hangar of the carrier.
The US Navy added that a formal investigation has been launched to determine the exact circumstances leading to the incident.
Given the current escalation and previous attacks on the USS Harry Truman, the incident raises questions about the official narrative. Some analysts suggest the F/A-18 Super Hornet may have been lost due to combat-related factors, possibly resulting from a Yemeni shootdown, rather than a simple towing accident.
This incident follows another recent event in February, when the Truman Strike Group was involved in a collision with a merchant vessel near Egypt, causing damage to the carrier above the waterline.
Ongoing resistance
These retaliatory operations come as Yemen endures a brutal wave of US-led bombardments. According to the Ministry of Justice in Sanaa, more than 1,300 civilians have been killed or wounded in recent weeks, including numerous women and children. The United States stands accused of committing war crimes, with its latest strike on a migrant detention center in Saada using a GBU-39 bunker-buster bomb, an internationally banned weapon with devastating humanitarian impact.
Sanaa has also placed the United Kingdom on notice for its renewed military involvement. In a statement released Tuesday, the Yemeni government warned of serious repercussions for Britain's participation in what it called the "trio of evil", the US, UK, and "Israel", vowing to confront their aggression "with all its strength."
Meanwhile, the US has moved to limit public disclosure of its operations in Yemen, citing "operational security." Since mid-March 2025, Washington has carried out over 800 strikes across the country, many targeting civilian infrastructure. Central Command admitted the operations have had "lethal effects" but offered no transparency regarding civilian tolls.
Despite the onslaught, Yemen's resistance remains unshaken. As Saree made clear, the struggle continues until justice is secured for Gaza and the siege is broken.
