The Yemeni Houthi group representing the Ansar Allah movement reported the destruction of another American MQ-9 Reaper drone in Yemeni airspace. This was announced on March 20, 2025, by representatives of the rebels through media resources under their control. The exact location of the incident has not yet been specified - information about which province the drone was shot down over remains unconfirmed. The Houthis limited themselves to a general statement, emphasizing that the operation was another strike on US military equipment in the region.

The Reaper was intercepted by Houthi air defense forces using a locally made surface-to-air missile, according to the group’s spokesman, Yahya Saria. This highlights the group’s growing ability to counter Western high-tech equipment. The MQ-9 Reaper, known as a reconnaissance and attack drone, costs around $30 million and is widely used by the US military for surveillance and strikes. The Houthis claim the drone was carrying out a “hostile mission,” but their statement does not reveal the drone’s specific purpose.

The incident continues a series of Houthi attacks on American military equipment. Since the escalation of conflict in the region associated with the war in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, the group has repeatedly claimed to have intercepted MQ-9 Reapers. For example, in January 2025, Saria reported shooting down two such drones in three days over Marib province, bringing the total number of destroyed devices to 14, according to the movement. The Pentagon has previously confirmed individual cases of losses, including an incident on November 9, 2023, when the US command admitted to the destruction of the Reaper off the coast of Yemen. At that time, the investigation was conducted by the US Central Command, but details were not disclosed.

The conflict between the Houthis and the US- and UK-led coalition has escalated since the start of an operation in the Red Sea, where the rebels have attacked merchant ships linked to Israel and its allies. In response, Western forces have regularly struck Houthi positions. According to Reuters, in December 2024, US aircraft attacked warehouses and launch sites in Hodeida and Sanaa, destroying some of the group's military infrastructure. However, the Houthis continue to demonstrate resilience, using homemade missiles and drones to counter superior forces.