In a recent development that has sparked an investigation by the Pentagon, a US drone (MQ-9 Reaper) crashed off the coast of Yemen early Monday. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation, with two American officials, who preferred to remain anonymous, confirming the incident but also revealing that it was shot down by the Houthi rebels. This event has drawn attention due to the strategic significance of the region and the capabilities of the MQ-9 Reaper, primarily used for intelligence-gathering missions.
The responsibility for downing the drone was claimed by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who asserted that they successfully targeted the drone near the port city of Al Hudaydah, in western Yemen. A military spokesperson for the Houthis, Yahya Sarea, stated, “Yemen’s air defense was able to shoot down an American drone (MQ-9) with a suitable missile while it was conducting hostile missions against our country on behalf of the Zionist entity.”
The Pentagon’s investigation aims to clarify whether the drone was indeed shot down as claimed or if other factors contributed to its crash. The remains of the drone appear to have been collected by the Houthis in the Red Sea.
Furthermore, a few months prior, another US MQ-9 was downed in Yemen by the Houthis, indicating that the group possesses some Iranian air defense system capable of reaching the altitude at which these unmanned aircraft operate. This incident underscores the escalating tensions in the region and the sophisticated capabilities of the Houthi rebels to challenge US aerial assets.
 crashed off the coast of Yemen early Monday. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation, with two American officials, who preferred to remain anonymous, confirming the incident but also revealing that it was shot down by the Houthi rebels. This event has drawn attention due to the strategic significance of the region and the capabilities of the MQ-9 Reaper, primarily used for intelligence-gathering missions.){kind=link}