Houthis Shoot Down 3 More US Reaper Drones in Yemen
Houthi militants in Yemen have shot down three more U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones over the past week, U.S. officials told Fox News. This brings the total number of drones downed by the group since March 15 to six.
In response to continued Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, the U.S. launched a large-scale air campaign in mid-March. Since then, American forces have conducted approximately 750 airstrikes, according to a source cited by ABC News.
The MQ-9 Reaper, an advanced surveillance and strike drone, costs about $28 million each, and the U.S. Air Force currently operates around 280 of them. Since October 2023, the Houthis claim to have shot down at least 22 Reapers, while U.S. officials have confirmed 15 losses.
According to reports, drone losses may be due to accidents, but most appear to have been shot down by Houthi air defenses.
Analysts from The War Zone remarked that Iran “have proven to have an air defense arsenal that presents real threats, as evidenced by a still-growing number of shootdowns of U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones.”
The outlet reported that the Barq-1 and Barq-2—surface-to-air missiles unveiled in September 2023—are among the most advanced weapons in Houthi hands. The group claims they have ranges of up to 43.5 miles and can hit targets at altitudes of up to 65,600 feet, though these figures remain unverified.
Earlier this year, a senior U.S. defense official told The War Zone that the Houthis have occasionally caught American forces off guard. “We’ve been surprised at times with some of the things that we see them do, and it makes us scratch our head a little bit,” the official said, adding that the group is “not super technologically advanced, but we do think they’re pretty innovative.”
Meanwhile U.S. airstrikes against Houthis continued this week in Hodeida, Marib, and Saada. A strike in Marib hit communications equipment. Last week, the U.S. targeted the Ras Isa Fuel Port, which it said the Houthis used to support attacks on shipping.
The Houthis said those recent strikes killed 80 people and wounded more than 150.
