A U.S. Navy ship mistakenly shot down an American fighter jet over the Red Sea early Sunday, the U.S. military said, highlighting the potential risks for international forces as they try to stop attacks on cargo ships by the Houthi militia in Yemen.

The U.S. military’s Central Command described the incident as an apparent case of friendly fire and said that the two pilots had been safely recovered after they ejected from their F/A-18 aircraft. One had minor injuries, Central Command said in a statement, adding that an investigation was underway. The incident occurred during a refueling operation, a Department of Defense official said.

The jet had flown off the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman when it was mistakenly fired upon by the guided-missile cruiser Gettysburg, the command said.

Both ships are in the Harry S. Truman carrier strike group. The U.S. military said Dec. 15 that the group had been deployed to its area of responsibility, which includes Yemen and the surrounding waters. It did not specify where the group was located.

— The New York Times