Yemen’s Houthis downs US drone over Hajjah
Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, Yemen’s Houthi movement announced that its air defenses had downed a US drone over Hajjah province.
In an official statement, the group confirmed its forces had “successfully” shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone while it was conducting operations in Yemeni airspace.
“This is the seventh drone of its type brought down by our air defenses in April, and the twenty-second since the beginning of the Israel-Gaza war in October 2023,” the statement added.
The MQ-9 Reaper is a long-endurance, high-altitude surveillance and strike drone, with each unit estimated to cost approximately $30 million, according to publicly available data.
بيان القوات المسلحة اليمنية بشأن استهداف حاملتي الطائرات الأمريكيتين، وإسقاط طائرة أمريكية نوع MQ_9 في سواحل محافظة حجة، وهي السابعة التي أسقطتها دفاعاتُنا الجوية خلال أبريل الجاري والثانية والعشرين خلال معركة الفتح الموعود والجهاد المقدس إسنادا لغزة. pic.twitter.com/IBCHGhOPqh
— العميد يحيى سريع (@army21yemen) April 22, 2025
The Houthis—officially known as Ansarallah—maintain that their attacks form part of what they describe as a “solidarity campaign” with Palestinians amid the war in Gaza. The group has repeatedly stated that its operations against Israeli-linked vessels in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea will continue until the conflict in Gaza concludes.
Meanwhile, Houthi-affiliated media reported that American forces conducted two airstrikes on the Al-Salif district in Yemen’s western Hodeidah province. Additional strikes were also reported on Kamaran Island.
The US has not yet commented on the latest strikes.
The operation is part of a broader American military campaign launched on March 15 under President Donald Trump’s directive for a “major offensive” against the Houthis. Washington has warned the group would face “total eradication” if it continues to threaten Red Sea maritime traffic.
Since the start of the campaign, American forces have carried out thousands of strikes across Houthi-controlled areas. Washington maintains the operations are intended to protect international shipping lanes and disrupt drone and missile attacks.
