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| Arabia |
| Houthi rebels say US-made drone shot down over Yemen |
| 2024-10-01 |
| [IsraelTimes] Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed Monday that they shot down another American-made MQ-9 Reaper drone over the country, with videos purportedly showing a surface-to-air missile striking it. The US military did not immediately acknowledge losing any aircraft. The Houthi-run broadcaster Al-Masirah claimed shooting down the MQ-9, hours after video footage circulated online showing the purported missile striking the aircraft over Yemen’s Saada province. A single image online also appeared to show wreckage of the drone, with pieces resembling that of an MQ-9. The US military did not respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press. General Atomics Reapers, which cost around $30 million apiece, can fly at altitudes up to 50,000 feet (15,240 meters) and have an endurance of up to 24 hours before needing to land. The aircraft have been flown by both the US military and the CIA over Yemen for years. Since Houthis seized the country’s north and its capital of Sanaa in 2014, the US military has seen Reapers shot down in Yemen in 2017, 2019, 2023, and 2024. The US military acknowledged the Houthis shot down two MQ-9s in September. The Joint Maritime Information Center, overseen by the US Navy, acknowledged the last attack on a merchant ship by the Houthis came on September 2, but the rebels remain a threat. “Despite a drop in attacks against merchant vessels over the last two weeks, the Houthis have shown ability and willingness to target US Navy assets and coalition partners,” the center said. The Houthis claimed an attack targeted American warships last week. Related: MQ-9 Reaper 09/27/2024 In Syria, a pro-American coalition drone came dangerously close to a Russian Aerospace Forces Su-24 MQ-9 Reaper 09/15/2024 Salvage operation underway for stricken Red Sea tanker hit by Houthis MQ-9 Reaper 09/09/2024 Houthis Claim to Have Destroyed US MQ-9 Reaper Drone |
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