NEW DELHI: Yemen’s Huthis shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone, a senior US defense official confirmed on Wednesday.
“A US military MQ-9 remotely-piloted aircraft was shot down off the coast of Yemen by Huthi forces,” the official said.
This came after an Iran-backed rebel group claimed that the US military MQ-9 was shot down off the coast of Yemen.
The Houthis took control of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014 and launched a years-long civil war against the Yemen government, reported ABC News.
The Pentagon acknowledged last week it was flying MQ-9s over Gaza in order to gather intelligence to help with hostage recovery efforts.
Over 200 people, including 10 US citizens, were abducted and taken to Gaza by Hamas fighters during the surprise attack on October 7. “These UAV flights began after the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel,” Pentagon spokesman Brig Gen Pat Ryder said in a brief statement on Friday.
The acknowledgement comes after reporters spotted unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) on flight-tracking websites. “The US is conducting unarmed UAV flights over Gaza, as well as providing advice and assistance to support our Israeli partner as they work on their hostage recovery efforts,” said Ryder.
The confirmation comes after reporters spotted MQ-9 Reapers, usually operated by American special forces, circling Gaza.
According to reports, at least six drones are being used for surveillance and their flight paths show they have focused mainly on southern Gaza.
(With inputs from agencies)
“A US military MQ-9 remotely-piloted aircraft was shot down off the coast of Yemen by Huthi forces,” the official said.
This came after an Iran-backed rebel group claimed that the US military MQ-9 was shot down off the coast of Yemen.
The Houthis took control of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014 and launched a years-long civil war against the Yemen government, reported ABC News.
The Pentagon acknowledged last week it was flying MQ-9s over Gaza in order to gather intelligence to help with hostage recovery efforts.
Over 200 people, including 10 US citizens, were abducted and taken to Gaza by Hamas fighters during the surprise attack on October 7. “These UAV flights began after the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel,” Pentagon spokesman Brig Gen Pat Ryder said in a brief statement on Friday.
The acknowledgement comes after reporters spotted unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) on flight-tracking websites. “The US is conducting unarmed UAV flights over Gaza, as well as providing advice and assistance to support our Israeli partner as they work on their hostage recovery efforts,” said Ryder.
The confirmation comes after reporters spotted MQ-9 Reapers, usually operated by American special forces, circling Gaza.
According to reports, at least six drones are being used for surveillance and their flight paths show they have focused mainly on southern Gaza.
(With inputs from agencies)
