The Yemeni Houthi movement, known as “Ansar Allah,” has announced the downing of a US MQ-9 drone over Marib province.
Brigadier General Yahya Saree, the official spokesperson for the Houthi military forces, confirmed the incident on Friday.
According to Saree, the drone was engaged in hostile activities when it was intercepted by Yemeni air defenses on Thursday evening.
This marks the fourth drone shot down during what the Houthis call the “Promised Victory and Sacred Jihad” in support of Gaza.
The drone was reportedly targeted with a locally-made surface-to-air missile, and footage of the interception will be released later.
Saree emphasized the readiness of the Houthi forces across all domains—land, sea, and air—and asserted that all enemy attempts would fail against their vigilant defenses.
Since November, the Houthis have intensified their attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, specifically targeting vessels associated with Israel or heading to Israeli ports. These actions are framed as acts of solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza.
In response, the US and its allies have formed a military coalition to counter Houthi strikes. American and British aircraft have conducted several airstrikes across Yemen, while the US military also conducts separate operations in the region.