Houthis in Yemen Claim Strike on U.S. Drone (Video)
Houthi rebels in Yemen claim they have downed a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone, releasing footage of the drone falling from the sky. The group also released images of the wreckage recovered on the ground. The images look somewhat convincing, but they do not appear to be of a Reaper drone, the wreckage shows a piston engine with exposed cylinders driving the propeller, where a Reaper carries a turboprop.
The group appears to have legitimately shot down a drone, but we are skeptical that it is the drone they claim it to be. The group has been a thorn in the side of the USA, as they have been targeting their drones since 2023. In 2025 alone, the rebel group had downed over $200 million worth of U.S. drones.
This is the second claim of a downed Reaper drone in as many days, as Iran claimed to have taken one out of the sky above the Bushehr region of the country. While the USA has denied the claim that the drone had been downed, they have not offered the same rejection to the claim that the drone had entered Iranian airspace.
This is a developing story, we will bring you updates as they are confirmed to us.