Houthis claim shooting down another US-made drone

Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced on September 30 that they had shot down another American-made MQ-9 Reaper drone over the country, releasing video footage that allegedly shows a surface-to-air missile hitting the aircraft.

The US military has not confirmed the loss of any drones, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

This incident occurs as the first anniversary of the Israel-Hamas conflict approaches. The Houthis have been actively targeting vessels in the Red Sea in response to US-led airstrikes against their positions in Yemen.

This conflict has jeopardised a crucial shipping route that typically facilitates approximately $1 trillion in trade, along with essential aid shipments to war-ravaged Sudan and Yemen.

Additionally, the Houthis continue to launch missiles towards Israel, prompting retaliatory airstrikes from Israeli forces on the port city of Hodeida over the weekend. The Houthi-operated broadcaster Al-Masirah reported the drone downing just hours after the missile strike video surfaced online, with a single image seemingly displaying wreckage that resembles parts of an MQ-9.

General Atomics’ Reaper drones, valued at around $30 million each, can operate at altitudes up to 50,000 feet (15,240 metres) and remain airborne for up to 24 hours. The US military and CIA have deployed these drones over Yemen for several years.

Since the Houthis captured northern Yemen and the capital, Sanaa, in 2014, there have been multiple instances of Reapers being shot down, with the US military acknowledging that two were lost in September alone.

Notably, since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict in October 2023, the Houthis have targeted over 80 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, resulting in the seizure of one ship and the sinking of two, alongside the deaths of four sailors. Many missiles and drones have been intercepted by a US-led coalition in the Red Sea or failed to hit their intended targets, which have included Western military vessels.

By Aghakazim Guliyev