Reuters reported that on February 22, two US officials said that in recent days, the Houthi forces in Yemen have launched surface-to-air missiles at several US targets, including a Reaper MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and an unnamed fighter.
Officials did not say the attack took place in the Red Sea or in Yemen.
One of the two officials said the attacks could show the Houthis are improving their firing range.
Meanwhile, according to Fox News on February 24, the fighter jet attacked was identified as an F-16 and the incident occurred in the Red Sea area. However, the missile launched towards the US fighter jet missed the target.
Fox News called it a significant escalation in the confrontation between the Iran-backed armed group in Yemen and the US military.
According to Fox News, the Reaper MQ-9 was attacked by the Houthis on February 19 while the UAV was on duty in Yemen's airspace.
The Houthis have previously shot down several MQ9. According to a report by the US Congress, each of these UAVs costs about 32 million USD.
In a TV speech on February 13, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, leader of the Iran-backed armed group, said his forces would use missiles and drones to attack ships in the Red Sea if the US and Israel tried to force Palestinians out of Gaza.
The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has been in effect in Gaza since January 19 but has recently shown signs of collapse due to violations from both sides.
US President Donald Trump has angered Arab countries with plans to permanently deport Palestinians from Gaza and turn the area into a coastal resort.
Since November 2023, the Houthis have carried out more than 100 attacks on ships off the coast of Yemen to support Hamas gunmen in Gaza against Israel, disrupting global shipping.
The Houthis, a pro-Irian force that controls northern Yemen, have also repeatedly launched missiles at Israel over the past year, saying they show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, which has been devastated by more than 16 months of fighting since Hamas' attacks on Israeli communities.
