According to AP, the US drone shot down by the Houthis in the Saada province (Yemen) was a Reaper MQ-9. This information was announced by Mr. Yahya Saare - Houthi military spokesman.
Mr. Saare confirmed that this is the fourth time an American unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has been shot down in September 2024.
The US military later confirmed the loss of a UAV in the Middle East war zone and did not provide any further information.
Houthi footage shows pieces of aircraft that appear to be from a Reaper MQ-9 being collected and piled up by the militants, apparently probing the wreckage for information.
The US military says the cost of producing a Reaper MQ-9 is around $30 million, making it one of the most expensive US weapons deployed in the Middle East.
According to information from the manufacturer General Atomics, the Reaper MQ-9 can operate continuously for 27 hours, has an operating range of about 1,850km and a payload capacity of up to 1,746kg.
In addition, Reaper is also equipped with many modern weapons such as AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bombs and GBU-38 direct attack ammunition.
Since the Gaza war began in October 2023, Houthi rebels have repeatedly attacked cargo ships in the Red Sea. About 80 merchant ships have been targeted by Houthi missiles and drones, but most have been intercepted by the US.
The Houthis say the Red Sea attacks are aimed at pressuring Israel to halt its military operations in the Gaza Strip and show support for the Palestinians. The attacks have severely affected the global shipping lane worth trillions of dollars, forcing the US to intervene.
