Yemen’s Houthis claim downing another US MQ-9 Reaper drone

The Yemeni group has carried out dozens of attacks on ships with links to Israel in a show of solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel’s 11-month-old war on the besieged enclave.

Yahya Saree, the military spokesman of the Houthi group, said in a prerecorded video message released early on Sunday that the MQ-9 Reaper was shot down by air defences over Marib as “it was carrying out hostile activities”.

This is the eighth drone of this type to be shot down since the start of the war on Gaza, he added.

The group has not so far released footage of the downed attack and surveillance aircraft that costs about $30m.

The advanced drones, which can fly at altitudes up to 15,240 metres (50,000 feet) and for up to 24 hours, have been flown by US military and intelligence forces over Yemen for years.

Houthi forces will continue to mount attacks in support of Palestinians and “are in the process of strengthening defensive capabilities” to confront continuing joint air strikes by the US and United Kingdom on Yemen, according to Saree.

The Yemeni group, which landed an explosive-laden drone in Tel Aviv in July killing one person, have said their attacks will only stop when Israel’s killings in Gaza cease.

More than 40,900 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its devastating war on October 7.