Houthi rebels have released images of what they say is a $30 million US drone they shot down in Yemen – the second they have destroyed since late last year – as tensions escalate in the Red Sea.
The Houthis on Tuesday released video of a surface-to-air missile downing a US MQ-9 Reaper drone off the coast of Hodeida, a Yemeni port city they control on the Red Sea.
The footage included a video of men dragging pieces of debris from the water to a beach.
Images of the debris, including texts in English and what appeared to be electrical equipment, appeared to match known parts of the Reaper, commonly used in attack and reconnaissance missions.
Houthi rebels have released images of what they claim is a $30 million US drone shot down in Yemen – the second they have destroyed – as tensions escalate in the Red Sea
Images of the debris, including texts in English and what appeared to be electrical equipment, appeared to match known pieces of the Reaper, usually used in attack missions and surveillance flights.
Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told journalists in a briefing that the Houthis had shot down the $30 million drone.
In November, the Pentagon acknowledged the loss of an MQ-9, also shot down by the rebels over the Red Sea.
Since the Houthis took over the north of the country and the capital Sanaa in 2014, the US military has lost at least four drones to rebel shootings – in 2017, 2019 and this year.
Meanwhile, the Houthis claimed an attack on the Sea Champion, a Greek-flagged US bulk carrier full of grain bound for Aden, Yemen, with grain from Argentina.
Pictured: Yemeni Houthi supporters lift fake drones during a protest against the ongoing Israeli war in the Gaza Strip
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it had received a report of an incident 35 nautical miles south of Al Mukha in Yemen on Sunday evening. An explosion near the ship had caused damage, but all crew members are safe and ‘authorities are investigating’
The Central Command said the airline “has delivered humanitarian aid to Yemen 11 times in the past five years,” as the country remains on the brink of famine during the war there.
On Monday, both Houthis and Western officials acknowledged one of the most serious attacks on shipping by the rebels.
The Houthis targeted the Belizean-flagged bulk carrier Rubymar with two anti-ship ballistic missiles, one of which struck the ship, the US military’s Central Command said.
Britain and the US have launched joint airstrikes against the Houthis in recent weeks to halt attacks on commercial shipping.
A photo made available by the Houthis media center shows the alleged debris of a US drone after it was shot down in the Red Sea port city
Pictured: A US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drone sits in a hangar at Amari Air Base in Estonia
Since November, the Houthis have repeatedly attacked ships in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait due to the Israeli offensive in Gaza. They have often targeted ships with weak or no apparent ties to Israel, endangering shipping on a key trade route between Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
The attacks have prompted several companies to halt trips to the Red Sea and opt for a longer and more expensive route around Africa.
The Houthis fired naval missiles at the British ship ‘LYCAVITOS’ in the Gulf of Aden last Thursday.
The group said it will continue to impose a “blockade on Israeli navigation in the Red and Arabian Seas until a ceasefire is reached and the siege of the Gaza Strip is lifted.”
Since the Houthis took over the north of the country and the capital Sanaa in 2014, the US military has lost at least four drones to rebel shootings – in 2017, 2019 and this year
Meanwhile, rising shipping costs due to Houthi rebel attacks on ships in the Red Sea could mean Britain could face serious price rises and shortages on major household items such as white goods, sofas, garden furniture and barbecues this summer.
The price of global shipping containers rose by more than 300 percent between November 2023 and January this year as a result of the chaos.
So far, not a single American sailor or pilot has been injured by the Houthis since America launched its airstrikes against the rebels in January.
However, the US continues to lose tens of millions of dollars worth of drones and fire millions of dollars worth of cruise missiles to counter the Houthis, who use much cheaper weapons that experts believe are largely supplied by Iran.
Based on US military statements, US and allied forces destroyed at least 73 missiles of various types during their month-long campaign, as well as 17 drones, 13 bomb-laden drone boats and one explosive underwater drone. count.
