Houthis Claim To Down US Drone in Yemen, Prompting Reported Airstrikes
Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed on Sunday to have shot down an American-made MQ-9 Reaper drone over the country, marking a potential new loss of the expensive surveillance aircraft. The US military, however, said it had “received no reports” of drones being downed over Yemen. Following the claim, the Houthis reported multiple US airstrikes on Houthi-controlled territory.
The alleged incident occurred over Yemen’s Marib province, a contested area known for its oil and gas reserves. The Houthis did not provide evidence, but similar claims have often been confirmed later with propaganda footage.
Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree announced the downing in a video message, describing it as part of their “jihadist duties” in support of the Palestinian people. Though he did not detail the method used to down the aircraft, the Houthis have previously used surface-to-air missiles believed to have been supplied by Iran, despite Tehran’s denials of arming the rebels.
After the alleged downing, the Houthis’ al-Masirah news channel reported US-led airstrikes near the city of Ibb. The US military did not immediately confirm the strikes, but has been targeting Houthi positions since January.
The incident adds to a growing list of Houthi attacks, which have targeted over 80 merchant vessels since the Israel-Hamas conflict escalated in October. The Houthis claim they are targeting ships linked to Israel, the US, and the UK to protest Israel’s actions in Gaza, although many attacked vessels have no direct connection to the conflict.
