Sanaa (Agencies): Yemen’s Houthi movement has claimed responsibility for shooting down a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone over the northeastern province of Ma’rib using a locally manufactured missile, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree announced.
“Our air defenses successfully shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone while it was carrying out hostile missions in the airspace of Ma’rib Governorate, using a suitable, locally made missile,” Saree stated on Telegram.
This marks the sixteenth drone the Houthis have reportedly downed in recent years. The MQ-9 Reaper, a high-altitude surveillance and strike drone, has an estimated unit cost of approximately $56.5 million, according to official sources.
The downing of the drone comes amid heightened tensions in the region, with continued U.S. military operations targeting Houthi positions and ongoing Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes.