Yemen’s Houthis show off U.S. Reaper Drone wreckage

Yemen’s Houthis have claimed responsibility for downing an American-made MQ-9 Reaper drone over the southwestern Dhamar province. Video evidence of a surface-to-air missile strike and wreckage on the ground has surfaced online, although the US military has not yet confirmed the loss. The Houthi military spokesperson, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, claims this is the third Reaper drone shot down by Houthi forces within a week, and the 10th since October 2023.

This incident follows a series of attacks by the Houthis targeting shipping in the Red Sea amid the Israel-Hamas war, with more than 80 vessels reportedly attacked since the conflict began. The Houthis claim their strikes are directed at ships linked to Israel, the US, or the UK.