F-35 Had To Maneuver To Evade Houthi Surface-To-Air Missile: U.S. Official
The incident took place during Operation Rough Rider, the enhanced bombing campaign against the Houthis launched by Trump on March 15.
Howard Altman
Published May 13, 2025 8:28 PM EDT
A U.S. F-35 stealth fighter had to take evasive action to avoid being hit by a Houthi SAM, a U.S. official told The War Zone.
AU.S. F-35 stealth fighter had to take evasive maneuvers to avoid being hit by Houthi surface-to-air (SAM) missiles, a U.S. official told The War Zone.
“They got close enough that the [F-35] had to maneuver,” the official said.
You can read more about the Houthis’ air defense capabilities in our deep dive here.
The comments partially confirm earlier reporting by The New York Times about what transpired during the U.S. campaign against the Houthis, known as Operation Rough Rider, that was launched March 15.
“In those first 30 days, the Houthis shot down seven American MQ-9 drones (around $30 million each), hampering Central Command’s ability to track and strike the militant group,” the publication reported on Monday. “Several American F-16s and an F-35 fighter jet were nearly struck by Houthi air defenses, making real the possibility of American casualties, multiple U.S. officials said.”
https://www.twz.com/air/f-35-had-to-maneuver-to-evade-houthi-surface-to-air-missile-u-s-official
