Sanaa, April 1
Yemen's Houthi armed group said in a statement early Tuesday that it has shot down a US MQ-9 drone over Yemen's central province of Marib.
"Our air defences shot down a hostile American MQ-9 drone in the airspace of Marib province, using a locally manufactured missile," Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a statement aired by the group's al-Masirah TV.
"This is the sixteenth US drone that our air defences have successfully shot down since October 2023," he said, without specifying the exact timing. Local Houthi media reported that the drone was downed on Monday.
"We affirm that we will continue to prevent Israeli navigation in the Red Sea and the Arabian Seas ... until the aggression against Gaza stops and the siege is lifted," Sarea said, adding they will also keep carrying out attacks against "enemy warships."
He was referring to the US Navy, including the aircraft carrier, stationed in the northern Red Sea.
The US military has resumed airstrikes on Houthi-held areas in northern Yemen since March 15 in a bid to deter the group from attacking Israeli targets, the US Navy, and international shipping lanes in the region.
On Monday, fresh US airstrikes killed two people and injured a child in Bani Qa'is in Yemen's northwestern province of Hajjah, according to residents and local health authorities.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This escalation is really concerning. Both sides need to de-escalate before this spirals into something worse. Innocent civilians are already paying the price with those airstrikes. 😔
I'm surprised they've managed to shoot down 16 drones! Their locally made missiles must be more advanced than we thought. The Pentagon should probably reassess their strategy here.
While I understand the Houthis' position, continuing this cycle of violence won't help anyone. The focus should be on diplomatic solutions to protect civilians on all sides.
The article mentions a child was injured in the airstrikes. That's the real tragedy here - kids caught in the middle of conflicts they didn't create. My heart goes out to all affected families.
I think the article could have provided more context about why the US is so involved in this region. For readers unfamiliar with Yemen's situation, it might seem confusing why American drones are there in the first place.
The technological aspect is fascinating - a locally manufactured missile taking down sophisticated US drones. Makes you wonder about the arms race in modern warfare. Stay safe everyone ðŸ™
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.