Yemen's Houthi rebels claim they shot down another US MQ-9 drone
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed early Sunday they shot down another American-made MQ-9 drone flying over the country, marking potentially the latest downing of the multimillion-dollar surveillance aircraft.The U.S.
responded with airstrikes over Houthi-controlled territory, the rebels said.The U.S.military told The Associated Press it was aware of the claim but has “received no reports” of American military drones being downed over Yemen.
The rebels offered no pictures or video to support the claim as they have in the past, though such material can appear in propaganda footage days later.However, the Houthis have repeatedly downed General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper drones in the years since they seized Yemen's capital, Sanaa, in 2014.
Those attacks have exponentially increased since the start of the Israel-Hamas war and the Houthis launched their campaign targeting shipping in the Red Sea corridor.Houthi military spokesperson Brig.
Gen.Yahya Saree made the claim in a prerecorded video message.
He said the Houthis shot down the drone over Yemen's Marib province, a long-contested area home to key oil and gas fields that's been held by allies of a Saudi-led coalition battling the rebels since 2015.Saree offered no details on how the rebels down the aircraft.
However, Iran has armed the rebels with a surface-to-air missile known as the 358 for years.Iran denies arming the rebels, though Tehran-manufactured weaponry has been found on the battlefield and in seaborne shipments heading to Yemen despite a United Nations arms embargo.
The Houthis “continue to perform their jihadist duties in victory for the oppressed Palestinian people and in defense of dear Yemen,” Saree said.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 U.S.military and the ...