Yemen Monitor/Newsroom
The US military acknowledged on Wednesday that the Houthis had shot down two MQ-9 Reaper drones in less than a week.
The US military stated that the Houthis downed the first drone on September 10th, and the second on Monday. An online video showed the process of shooting down the drone and its burning wreckage on the ground in Yemen’s Dhamar Governorate.
General Atomics Reaper drones, each costing around $30 million, can fly at levels of up to 50,000 feet (15,240 meters) and can remain airborne for up to 24 hours before needing to land. These drones have been flying in Yemeni skies for many years, both by the US military and the CIA.
Pentagon spokesperson General Pat Ryder said authorities are continuing to investigate Monday’s downing but declined to elaborate.
He added that the Houthi claim of shooting down 10 Reaper drones since the start of their campaign in November “is not accurate.”
