Houthi Video Shows Wreckage They Say Is Downed U.S. Drone

The Iranian-backed Yemeni Houthis have released video footage showing what they say is the wreckage of an American MQ-9 Reaper drone they claim to have shot down.

Newsweek has reached out to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and Houthi officials for comment.

Why it Matters

The Houthis report ongoing attacks despite heavy U.S. strikes on Sana’a, a key stronghold. Any continued Houthi success indicates that U.S. efforts have yet to fully damage the group’s operations sufficiently to prevent its attacks.

The group has carried out over 100 attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea since the war in Gaza errupted in October 2023 after the Hamas attack on Israel. Saying they are fighting in solidarity with the Palestinian group, they have disrupted a vital trade route and challenged U.S. forces.

What To Know

A video released by the group showed the shooting down of what Houthis claimed to be an American MQ-9 drone near Yemen’s Marib governorate. A person is heard cheering and chanting “Death to America, death to Israel.”

The U.S. military told The Associated Press it was aware of the downing of a Reaper after the group reportedly shot down another American MQ-9 Reaper drone on Tuesday.

President Donald Trump has vowed to “annihilate” the group, also known as Ansar Allah, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S.

The U.S. military launched more attacks on Houthi positions on Tuesday in operations that began on March 15.

“CENTCOM Forces continue attacks on Houthi Positions,” U.S. Central Command posted on X.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea claimed more attacks on the USS Harry S.Truman aircraft carrier in the Red Sea in the past week but the U.S. has not reported damage.

The U.S. said operations against the group will continue until freedom of navigation is restored after Houthis said they imposed a blockade on Israeli and American ships in retaliation for Israel’s strikes in Gaza and ban of humanitarian aid entry.

The Houthis, a faction within Iran’s broader Axis of Resistance coalition, have also fired missiles and drones against Israel. Trump has warned Iran to stop supporting the group.

What People Are Saying

Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell: “In line with the President’s direction to achieve peace through strength, the Secretary of Defense directed the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group to remain in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility (AOR) in support of regional deterrence and force protection efforts.”

Houthi spokesperson Yahya Sarea: “Trump proceeded to bomb our people to protect Zionist navigation in the Red Sea, yet he failed to pass a single ship through the Red Sea. Then, the Yemeni army imposed a blockade on American navigation, resulting in 70% of shipping being prevented from entering the Red Sea.”

What Happens Next

U.S. attacks on the Houthis are expected to continue while the potetial remains for a bigger escalation of the conflicts in the Middle East given the fighting between Israel and Hamas and the growing U.S.-Iran tensions.