The Yemen Houthi rebels have shot down a US drone in the region. The Houthis are backed by Iran, and have been attacking Israel since the October 7 terrorist attack.
The Houthis have been in conflict with neighboring Saudi Arabia and by extension, the United States. Their latest switch to attacking Israelis has caused consternation for Saudi Arabia, who’s policy on Israel is currently murky. The NY Times reports:
A U.S. military surveillance drone was shot down off the coast of Yemen on Wednesday by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, the Pentagon said.
Pentagon officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters, confirmed that the drone, an MQ-9 Reaper, had been shot down. But they would not say if the aircraft was armed, where it was flying from or other details.
The Houthis have been attacking Israel with ballistic missiles, whose interception represents the first instance of warfare in space. CBS News says:
Those attacks follow an incident last month in which a U.S. Navy destroyer in the Red Sea shot down missiles from Yemen that were potentially headed toward Israel.
The Houthis took control of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014, launching a years-long devastating civil war against the internationally recognized government of Yemen.
The US’s strategy is to currently weather the storm until Israel achieves its objectives or a cease-fire is declared. In the meantime, US forces in the region will engage in a low-level war with Iranian proxies.
READ NEXT: NATO is Now Unshackled
