Yemen (KAAB TV) – Yemeni Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saric announced that they successfully shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone, marking the 15th such drone the Houthis have brought down since late 2023. Each of these drones is valued at $33 million, bringing the total cost of the drones downed by the Houthis to $495 million.

The MQ-9 Reaper drone, widely recognized as one of the United States’ most advanced and versatile aircraft, is designed for both surveillance and airstrikes, making it a formidable tool in military operations. Notably, it was used in the infamous 2020 attack that killed Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Iranian Quds Force.

This incident echoes a previous event on June 20, 2019, when Iran successfully shot down the US-made RQ-4A Global Hawk BAMS-D drone, believed to be the most advanced drone in the US arsenal, valued at over $100 million.