Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
The Houthi group announced on Tuesday evening that it had shot down a U.S. MQ-9 drone in the coastal province of Al-Hodeidah, western Yemen.
The armed group, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the US, claimed that this was the 15th drone it has successfully downed since it began its attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea.
The group confirmed the continuation of its attacks, including monitoring and tracking hostile movements in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, and stated that it is fully prepared to deal with any developments in the coming phase.
The U.S. Department of Defense has not commented on the Houthis’ claims at the time of writing.
This announcement comes simultaneously with the U.S. State Department’s declaration that the decision to designate the Houthi group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization has come into effect — a move that fulfills one of the first promises made by President Donald Trump since taking office.
In its statement, the U.S. State Department said that the Houthis’ activities pose a threat to the security of civilians and U.S. personnel in the Middle East, as well as endanger the safety of the U.S.s’ closest regional partners and the stability of global maritime trade, in accordance with Executive Order 14175 issued by President Trump.
The statement also pointed out that since 2023, the Houthis have carried out hundreds of attacks against commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, in addition to targeting U.S. forces defending freedom of navigation and regional partners.
