Iran-backed Houthis shoot down third US Reaper drone since early March

Houthis in Yemen have shot down one other U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone, sources advised Fox Information. 

That is the third such drone the rebels have shot down since March 3 and the second shot down because the U.S. started conducting every day strikes.

Whereas the U.S. has been finishing up airstrikes every day for 20 days straight, there have been few updates from the Trump administration on the standing of the operation. The Pentagon has not held a press briefing in weeks, and the Protection Division has been quiet concerning the ongoing strikes.

AFTER DEBILITATING STRIKES, TRUMP TELLS HOUTHIS: STOP SHOOTING AT US AND ‘WE WILL STOP SHOOTING AT YOU’

President Donald Trump is taking motion towards the Houthis to defend U.S. delivery belongings and deter terrorist threats, the White Home posted on X on March 15, 2025. (The White Home)

On Tuesday, the State Division introduced sanctions on “monetary facilitators, procurement operatives, and firms working as a part of a worldwide illicit finance community supporting the Houthis.” 

The State Division put ahead sanctions after the Houthis shot down the primary Reaper in early March, citing weapons smuggling as the rationale.

The U.S. has been finishing up airstrikes towards the Houthis in Yemen for 20 days straight. (AP Photographs/Getty Photographs)

TRUMP’S SIGHTS SET ON IRAN AFTER US AIRSTRIKES DECIMATE MORE THAN 30 HOUTHI TARGETS

Late final month, Nationwide Safety Advisor Mike Waltz spoke concerning the airstrikes in an interview with CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

“These guys are like al Qaeda or ISIS with superior cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and a number of the most subtle air defenses, all supplied by Iran,” Waltz stated. “Retaining the ocean lanes open, retaining commerce and commerce open, is a basic side of our nationwide safety,” he added.

An MQ-9 Reaper drone with Customs and Border Safety awaits the subsequent mission over the U.S.-Mexico border in November 2022 at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. (John Moore/Getty Photographs)

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MQ-9 Reaper drones value roughly $30 million every, based on the Congressional Analysis Service. Houthis have shot down 13 U.S. drones since October 2023, when the Israel-Hamas conflict began, nonetheless, a supply advised Fox Information that it may very well be as many as 17 Reapers. 

The U.S. had 230 MQ-9 Reaper drones in its arsenal as of December 2024, a U.S. protection official advised Fox Information. These drones are primarily used to gather intelligence however might be armed with as much as eight laser-guided Hellfire missiles, based on the U.S. Air Pressure.

Fox Information’ Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.