Illustrative image.
The Houthis (Ansar Allah) have released video footage showing the successful interception of an MQ-9 Reaper combat drone of the United States military over the central Yemen province of Ma’rib on May 16.
MQ-9 combat drones, which cost upwards of $30 million per a unit, are primarily used to collect intelligence, but have the ability to conduct pinpoint strikes. The advanced drones can operate for more than 27 hours and reach altitudes of over 25,000 feet.
The footage released by the Houthis show the launch of an anti-aircraft missile at the drone, then the moment it was hit and fell to the ground.
The Houthis apparently used a Barq-1 or 2 missile to shoot down the drone. Both missiles are thought to be derivative of the Iranian-made Taer-2, which is guided by semi-active radar, with a range of 50 and 70 kilometers respectively.
The drone was the fourth of its kind to be shot down by the Houthis over Yemen since the group began a confrontation with Israel, the U.S. and the United Kingdom over the Israeli war and siege on the Palestinian Gaza Strip last November. The first three were shot down on November 14, February 19 and April 25.
In addition to targeting American drones, the Houthis have been targeting ships linked to Israel, the U.S. and the UK in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean as well as launching missiles and drones at the southernmost Israeli port city of Eilat.
Early on May 18, the British military’s UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said that a ship came under attack in the Red Sea off the coast of the western Yemeni port city of al-Hodeida, which is held by the Houthis.
The captain “has confirmed sustaining slight damage after being struck by an unknown object on his port quarter,” the UKMTO said. “The vessel and crew are safe and continuing to its next port of call.”
The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge the attack reported by UKMTO, though it typically takes them hours to issue a claim.
The U.S. and the UK have carried out hundreds of strikes against Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen since January. Nevertheless, the military campaign has so far failed to deter the group or degrade its capabilities.
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