A spokesperson for the Houthi militants has claimed that their forces successfully shot down a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone over Yemen, marking the fourth such incident. The announcement, made on social media by Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree, stated that the drone was targeted on Thursday evening with a locally-made surface-to-air missile.
Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree provided limited details but confirmed that the drone was conducting “hostile actions” in the airspace of Yemen’s Marib province. The Houthis released a video purportedly showing the missile being launched at night, along with footage of the missile hitting the drone. The video included night-vision images and a voice chanting the Houthi slogan.
WATCH | Yemeni air defenses shot down a US MQ9 drone in the airspace of Maarib, west of Yemen, with a locally produced surface-to-air missile. pic.twitter.com/kIOWEcO0fI
— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) May 17, 2024
⚡️BREAKING
The Yemeni armed forces have shot down another U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone, worth about $30 million. in Marib province, eastern Yemen pic.twitter.com/4OVkhUWGmn
— Warfare Analysis (@warfareanalysis) May 17, 2024
The U.S. military has not officially acknowledged the downing of the drone but stated that it is aware of the reports. The authenticity of the video and the details of the incident have not been independently verified.
The MQ-9 Reaper is a hunter-killer UAV designed for long-endurance, high-altitude surveillance. Capable of flying at altitudes up to 50,000 feet and with an endurance of up to 24 hours, the Reaper costs around $30 million per unit. The U.S. has used these drones extensively to monitor Houthi activities and conduct strikes against missile and drone launch sites.
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