Yemen's Houthi Rebels Claim Responsibility for Shooting Down U.S. MQ-9 Reaper Drone

Houthis claim shooting down US MQ-9 Reaper drone, launching renewed attacks following relative lull in pressure campaign over Israel-Hamas war.

Yemen's Houthi rebels announced on Saturday, April 27, that they had successfully shot down another U.S. military MQ-9 Reaper drone, displaying footage of parts that corresponded to known pieces of the unmanned aircraft. This incident marks a renewed series of assaults by the rebels after a brief lull in their pressure campaign over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.

The Houthis claimed that they utilized a surface-to-air missile to shoot down the Predator, with the downing occurring on Thursday over their stronghold in Yemen's Saada province. Footage released by the rebels included what they described as the missile launch targeting the drone. Additionally, the video contained close-ups of parts of the drone bearing the logo of General Atomics, which manufactures the drone, as well as serial numbers corresponding with known parts made by the company.

Since the Houthis seized the country’s north and its capital of Sanaa in 2014, the U.S. military has lost at least five drones to the rebels, including the recent incident on Thursday. Previous shootdowns occurred in 2017, 2019, 2023, and earlier this year.

Houthi Attacks and Demands

Alongside the drone shootdown, the Houthis have been launching attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, demanding an end to the war in Gaza. The ongoing conflict has resulted in the deaths of more than 34,000 Palestinians, with the war initiated after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, resulting in 1,200 casualties and the hostage-taking of around 250 individuals.

The U.S. Maritime Administration reported that the Houthis have launched over 50 attacks on shipping, with the seizure of one vessel and the sinking of another since November. However, there has been a reduction in Houthi attacks in recent weeks due to the U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen. The decline in shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden is attributed to the threat posed by the rebels. American officials have suggested that the U.S.-led campaign may have depleted the rebels' arsenal, leading to a reduction in attacks. Despite this, the rebels have renewed their assaults in the last week.

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