“Houthi Ghost” Costs the U.S. Over 75 Million Dollars

In a stunning turn of events, the U.S. military has suffered a massive blow to its budget after what can only be described as a catastrophic error. During a high-stakes operation off the coast of Yemen, the U.S. Navy’s USS Gettysburg fired a missile that destroyed one of its own F/A-18 fighter jets, worth over 70 million dollars! The aircraft, which had just taken off from the USS Harry S. Truman, was mistaken for a hostile target in the chaos of multiple attacks happening at once.

This expensive misstep, now dubbed the “Houthi Ghost,” unfolded just hours after CENTCOM’s successful airstrikes on Houthi missile facilities in Sana’a, Yemen. The operation saw U.S. Air Force fighters and Navy jets intercept multiple suicide drones and missiles from the Houthi forces. In the heat of battle, a missile launched from the Gettysburg mistakenly locked onto the friendly F/A-18, leading to its destruction and adding insult to injury.

The Price of War: Over $75 Million Wasted

The destroyed jet, valued at a staggering 70 million dollars, is only part of the cost. The missile fired in the attack, which costs anywhere between 500,000 and 1.5 million dollars, only adds to the financial devastation. With investigations and a full operational review now underway, the total cost of this error could easily exceed 75 million dollars. This shocking miscalculation will likely haunt U.S. forces for years to come.

High-Stakes Chaos and a Costly MistaU.S.

The U.S. military was already embroiled in a tense and fast-paced operation, with ongoing airstrikes, drone interceptions, and missile defense. The chaotic environment, compounded by the pressure of protecting vital shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, seems to have led to this tragic blunder. In such high-intensity moments, miscommunications and technological limitations can easily spiral into disaster.

A Harsh Reality Check for the World’s Most Powerful Military

The “Houthi Ghost” serves as a stark reminder that even the most powerful military in the world isn’t immune to mistakes. Despite the cutting-edge technology at its disposal, the U.S. military has paid a heavy price for this error. This costly mishap proves that no operation, no matter how well-planned, is ever foolproof in the fog of war.

With this shocking incident still fresh, the U.S. military will no doubt take a long, hard look at its procedures and protocols to ensure such a mistake never happens again.