As US airstrikes continue to pound Yemen, the Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, announced that its forces downed another US MQ-9 Reaper Drone that was flying over Yemeni territory.
“Our air defenses successfully shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone while it was carrying out hostile missions in the airspace of Maarib Governorate, using a suitable, locally made missile,” the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) said in a statement early Tuesday morning.
So far, there’s been no confirmation from the US military that it lost a drone. Since President Trump restarted the US bombing campaign in Yemen on March 15, the US military has shared virtually no details about its airstrikes or Houthi attacks on US warships and aircraft.
The YAF statement said that the incident marked the 16th US MQ-9 drone that’s been shot down by Houthi forces since October 2023. The US military has acknowledged it has lost several drones over Yemen but hasn’t confirmed each claim. Each MQ-9 Reaper drone costs the US about $30 million, so if the Houthis’ number is accurate, that means the US has lost $480 million worth of drones.
The YAF statement said that over the past few hours, the US had “launched a number of raids on various areas, resulting in martyrs, injuries, and damage to citizens’ properties.”
US airstrikes have been hitting Yemen every day since March 15, but the Houthis show no sign of backing down. President Trump has claimed his bombing campaign has been a “success” despite the repeated Houthi attacks on US warships and on Israel, which restarted once the US started bombing Yemen again.
Just a few hours before the Houthis announced they downed another US MQ-9, Trump claimed that the Yemeni group has “been decimated by the relentless strikes over the past two weeks” and threatened the situation would escalate if attacks from Yemen didn’t stop.
The message from the Houthis has been that they will meet US “escalation with escalation” and won’t stop unless there’s a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the Israeli blockade on the Palestinian territory. “The Yemeni Armed Forces affirm that they will persist to prevent Israeli navigation in the Red and Arabian Seas and will continue to support the Palestinian people until the aggression against Gaza stops and the blockade is lifted,” the YAF statement said.
What does one of those drones cost ?
Read the article.
About $30 million for the MQ-9 Reaper. But lower on eBay.
Is the ebay comment a joke?
… ok, he meant AliBaba
lol
Also USS Harry Truman's command and control E2 aircraft was destroyed, it seems: https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/yemeni-armed-forces-target-us-carrier-e-2-aew-aircraft–excl
Every Houthi missile downed by the USS Truman's defense system costs the US millions of dollars. The missiles are cheap to produce; the anti-missiles are quite expensive. And more limited in supply.
Not to mention the day-to-day cost of operating an aircraft carrier.
How long before 'Voter's Remorse' sets in among those who elected the guy who went bankrupt operating casinos?
Keep in mind that only 28.6% of voting age USers voted for the forked tongue dishonorable peace candidate well known as a Borrow and Spend Republican.
Right, it's all on the credit card, … the creditor, of course, the power/wealth elite.
My guess is middle class tax payers.
Highly unlikely. Less than 10% of federal revenues come from the middle class.
Where do federal revenues come from? Is borrow and spend the only possible US course setting?
Are borrowing and inflation represented along with the ten percent grouping?
Edited
The top 1% income bracket pays about half of taxes in the US, the top 5% about 66%.
The lowest quintile gets hit hard by regressive taxes like sales tax.
The middle class mostly just stomps its feet and demands more free stuff from Uncle Sugar.
I get it; People who aren't rich are spoiled lazy TV-freak cannon fodder.
The rich prop up their milking stools with borrow and spend wars and weird projects that hasten climate change.
US therefor dooms humanity to extinction and the middle class lazy no goods are only along for the ride. MAGA!
“I get it”
Obviously false.
… and their children and grandchildren … as far as the eye can see.
So what? The majority of the people who care enough to take the time to vote, wanted trump. They knew what he was like and they still voted for him. America is getting what they wanted.
You deny Trump preached peace and the Baby Boom generation that went through the Southeast Asian War era voted for the peace candidate?
Good question about the Voter Remorse. And even if the voters have remorse they can not do anything about it until November 2026.
The other day I met a guy who just got let go of his job at the IRS. He admitted he was a trump supporter. I wanted to laugh but I held back.
Is there any news on the alleged assassination attempt on Putin (explosion of motorcade car) days after Zelensky said he would soon be dead?
Any comments from Trump?
It's most likely fake…!
A strange false flag, if so, by whom?
Trump got busted lying as usual…!
Apr 1, 2025 Pepe Escobar: Yemen Strikes Back – The Crisis Spirals Out of Control!
https://www.youtube.com/live/XTFGpWOWHtg?si=FcEGbLnfN0oloDOt
Oh just another $30 million down the drain.
How's that for a clay pigeon?
"…using a suitable, locally made missile,” the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) said in a statement early Tuesday morning."
See ! Sustainable, locally sourced, ethically harvested and fair-trade practices don't have to apply only to coffee, bamboo fabric, or chocolate !
Good on the Houthinese for promoting "Launch Yemeni !" initiatives to support their local economy & small businesses !
Houthis claim is not validated by the US. In the past, I would dismiss the Houthis claim. But this current government is build on lies, so I'm not sure who is telling the truth.