Houthis Intensify Attacks on US and Israeli Ships in Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Amid Gaza War Fallout (Photo: Military Media Yemen/Wikimedia Commons/CC-BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)) Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed on Sunday that they successfully shot down a U.S.-made MQ-9 Reaper drone over the country’s contested Marib province. This incident marks another escalation in the ongoing conflict in Yemen, where the Houthis have intensified their military operations, particularly since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war. The U.S. military, while acknowledging the Houthi claim, stated that it had “received no reports” of any American drones being downed over Yemen.....CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE
The Houthis’ military spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, announced the drone’s downing in a prerecorded video message, stating that the aircraft was “carrying out hostile activities” over Marib, a region rich in oil and gas resources. Saree did not provide any visual evidence to support the claim, although the group has previously released such footage days after similar incidents. Despite the lack of immediate proof, the claim aligns with a pattern of Houthi attacks on U.S. drones, which have become more frequent in recent months.
The MQ-9 Reaper, valued at around $30 million, is a sophisticated surveillance and attack drone capable of flying at altitudes up to 50,000 feet and remaining airborne for up to 24 hours. The U.S. has deployed these drones extensively over Yemen for years, both for military operations and intelligence gathering.
Following the Houthi announcement, their al-Masirah satellite news channel reported that U.S.-led airstrikes had been carried out near the city of Ibb, south of the Yemeni capital, Sanaa. The U.S. military has not confirmed these strikes, but it has been conducting operations against Houthi targets in Yemen with increasing frequency, particularly since January.
The downing of the drone comes amid a broader campaign by the Houthis targeting maritime vessels in the Red Sea, a crucial global shipping corridor. Since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted, the Houthis have claimed responsibility for attacks on more than 80 ships, including merchant vessels and oil tankers. These assaults have raised significant concerns among global powers, particularly given the strategic importance of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, through which a substantial portion of the world’s oil supply is transported.
One of the most high-profile attacks involved the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion, which was struck by Houthi missiles in the Red Sea. The tanker, carrying one million barrels of oil, was left burning and stranded, with salvage operations complicated by the ongoing conflict. The Houthis have justified these attacks as part of their support for the Palestinian cause, declaring that they will continue until Israel ends its military operations in Gaza.
The U.S. has condemned these actions as reckless acts of terrorism. Last week, U.S. forces intercepted a Houthi-launched drone targeting a Saudi oil tanker and destroyed a “support vehicle” used in the operation. The U.S. military described these incidents as part of a broader pattern of destabilizing activities by the Houthis, which they attribute to Iranian support, despite Tehran’s repeated denials.
The Houthis’ attacks have not been limited to military or maritime targets. In July, the group claimed responsibility for landing an explosive-laden drone in Tel Aviv, an attack that killed one person and further escalated regional tensions. This attack was part of the Houthis’ declared “jihadist duties” in support of the Palestinian people, according to Saree.
The ongoing conflict in Yemen, which began in earnest when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa in 2014, has left the country devastated. Despite a U.N.-brokered ceasefire in December 2023, sporadic fighting and targeted attacks have continued, with the Houthis increasingly focusing on international targets linked to the U.S., U.K., and Israel.
