Yemen's Houthi rebels reportedly shot down an American drone in the early hours of Friday, marking a potential escalation in their attacks on the Red Sea corridor. Videos circulating online showed what appeared to be a flaming aircraft falling from the sky and a field of burning debris in Yemen's al-Jawf province. The U.S. military confirmed the incident and stated that they were investigating further.
The type of aircraft shot down was not immediately clear from the low-quality night video. The Houthis possess surface-to-air missiles capable of downing aircraft, including the Iranian missile known as the 358. Despite Iran's denial of arming the rebels, Iranian-manufactured weaponry has been discovered on the battlefield and in seaborne shipments destined for the Shiite Houthi rebels, in violation of a United Nations arms embargo.
The Houthis, part of Iran's self-described “Axis of Resistance,” have not claimed responsibility for the incident yet, a common practice that may take hours or days. Since seizing control of Yemen's north and Sanaa in 2014, the rebels have previously shot down MQ-9 Reaper drones in 2017, 2019, 2023, and 2024.
Reapers, valued at around $30 million each, can operate at altitudes up to 50,000 feet and have a flight endurance of up to 24 hours. The Houthis have targeted over 90 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the Israel-Hamas conflict began in October 2023, resulting in the seizure and sinking of ships and casualties among sailors. The rebels claim to target vessels associated with Israel, the U.S., or the U.K., aiming to halt Israel's campaign against Hamas in Gaza.
However, many of the attacked ships have minimal or no connection to the conflict, including those en route to Iran. The frequency of Houthi sea attacks has varied over time. In October, the U.S. military deployed B-2 stealth bombers to strike underground bunkers used by the Houthis.
