FACT CHECK: Did The Houthis Shoot Down An American Jet?
A post shared on X claims the Houthis shot down an American jet.
BREAKING ⚡🚨 The Yemeni armed forces jointly with Houthi have reportedly shot down an American top EA-18G Growler In Red Sea.
🚨 US B-2 or B-52 Shelling over the Airspace of Yemen to attack Yemeni forces and Houthis.
🚨 We said In Dec 2023, US attack Yemen with B52.… pic.twitter.com/Dd7hVkjZOX
— RKM (@rkmtimes) October 17, 2024
Verdict: False
There is no evidence for this claim. Neither U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) nor the Department of Defense described any American aircraft being shot down.
Fact Check:
The U.S. attacked Houthi underground weapon facilities with B-2 stealth bombers and other aircraft on Oct. 16, according to The New York Times.
Social media users are sharing claims that the Houthis shot down an American jet, with some claiming that it was an EA-18 Growler. (RELATED: Image Allegedly Showing Chris Evans Signing An Israeli Bomb Intended For Gaza Is Miscaptioned)
“BREAKING ⚡🚨 The Yemeni armed forces jointly with Houthi have reportedly shot down an American top EA-18G Growler In Red Sea,” one user wrote.
This claim is false. If the Houthis had managed to shoot down an American jet, whether it was a Growler or another aircraft, media outlets would have covered it, yet none have. A wider internet search also did not yield any results for this claim.
Furthermore, Check Your Fact reviewed the Houthi website and social media accounts associated with the militant group. This search did not yield any results for the Iranian-backed group claiming it shot down any American aircraft during the Oct. 16 attack.
CENTCOM and the DOD did not describe any American aircraft being shot down in their statements on the attack. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said, for example, that the U.S. “will continue to make clear to the Houthis that there will be consequences for their illegal and reckless attacks.”
Claims that state the Houthis shot down a Growler appear to be based on reports that a Growler crashed near Mount Rainier in Washington. The crash happened on Oct. 15, a day before the actual raid, according to the Seattle Times.
