MQ-9 Reaper. Photo: U.S. Air Force
The Yemeni armed forces, known as the Houthi rebels, have released a video allegedly showing the downing of another U.S. attack drone MQ-9 Reaper in the Hodeida region, western Yemen.
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The MQ-9 Reaper, manufactured by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, has an estimated cost of over $30 million per unit. In a statement, Houthi military officials claimed that “the drone was shot down while conducting hostile operations in Yemeni airspace.”
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The United States Air Force indirectly confirmed the incident, stating that it lost contact with an MQ-9 Reaper while it was flying over the Red Sea this week.
Houthis release video of alleged downing of another MQ-9 Reaper drone. Photo: mmy.ye
The loss of the drone comes amid growing tensions, coinciding with the U.S. government’s decision to redesignate the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization, reinstating a classification originally applied during the Trump administration.
Since 2023, the Houthis claim to have shot down multiple MQ-9 Reaper drones, with estimated losses for the United States reaching approximately $500 million.
Sources: middleeastmonitor / STARS AND STRIPES / mmy.ye. This content was created with AI assistance and reviewed by the editorial team.
