US military admits Yemen's Houthi rebels shot down drones

Associated Press Dubai: Yemen's Houthi rebels shot down two American MQ-9 Reaper drones in under a week, the United States military acknowledged Wednesday, further highlighting the regional spread of the Israel- Hamas war. As the first anniversary of the war approaches, Houthis continue a campaign to target ships travelling through the Red Sea as US-led airstrikes pound their positions in Yemen. That's imperiled a waterway that typically sees USD 1 trillion of trade pass through it, as well as crucial shipments of aid to war-torn Sudan and Yemen. The US military said Houthis shot down the first Reaper on September 10, and the second on Monday.

Online video showed the downing and the flaming wreckage on the ground afterward in Yemen's Dhamar province. General Atomics Reapers, which cost around USD 30 million apiece, can fly at altitudes up to 50,000 feet (15,240 metres) and have an endurance of up to 24 hours before needing to land. The aircraft have been flown by both the US military and the CIA over Yemen for years. US Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon's press secretary, said authorities continue to investigate Monday's downing, but declined to elaborate. He added that a claim by the Houthis that they shot down 10 Reapers since the start of their campaign in November over the Israel-Hamas war was not accurate. For operation security reasons, I'm not going to be able to provide a specific number, Ryder said Tuesday.