Pentagon: Houthis Shot Down US Reaper Drone

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Facts

  • The Pentagon confirmed Tuesday that a US military MQ-9 drone flying off the Yemeni coast on Monday was shot down by the Iran-aligned Houthis and crashed into the Red Sea as tensions in the region continued to escalate amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.1
  • The drone was downed by a surface-to-air missile following 'more sophisticated' operations by the Houthis over the weekend, Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said. She added that an investigation into the recovery of the drone is underway.2
  • The Houthis last downed an MQ-9 drone in November, when it was reportedly flying over international airspace off Yemen's coast. In June 2019, the rebels are also said to have shot down a drone used for intelligence gathering and precision strikes.3
  • The latest downing came as the Houthis continued their attacks Monday, reportedly firing two anti-ship ballistic missiles at a US-owned Greek-flagged grain carrier. Sustaining minor damage, the vessel continued its journey to Aden, Yemen, the US military said.4
  • Also on Monday, Yemeni militants launched an attack that heavily damaged a British-owned Belize-flagged cargo ship. The US said that the vessel was hit by two anti-ship ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen.5
  • On Sunday, the US announced it had carried out five 'self-defense strikes,' targeting drones and missiles possessed by the Houthis. According to the US military, one attack targeted the first monitored deployment of an unmanned underwater vehicle by the Houthis.6

Sources: 1Stars and Stripes, 2ABC News, 3Business Insider, 4FOX News, 5CNBC and 6Firstpost.

Narratives

  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Stars and Stripes. The Houthis have carried out another unprovoked attack, but it's not comparable to the damage Yemeni terrorists have inflicted on international shipping in the Red Sea. So the US will continue operating in the area to protect the freedom of navigation and uphold the rule of law. The US is taking out Houthi drones every day and its strikes will continue until these terrorists are defeated and cease operations.
  • Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Al Mayadeen. This proves that US-led strikes against the Houthis are failing to deter their attacks and instead are boosting the Houthis' standing in the Arab world. The US is running out of options against the Houthis' asymmetric tactics, which have been well-tested by the last decade of war in Yemen. The best way to avoid expanding this conflict is a comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza.

Predictions