Houthis claim to down U.S. MQ-9 drone above Marib province in Yemen

The Yemeni Houthi group announced Saturday that it shot down an American drone carrying out "hostile activities" in central Yemen.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said Yemeni air defenses "succeeded" in shooting down the American MQ-9 drone above Marib province.

Sarea confirmed that Houthi forces continue to fulfill their duties "in support of the Palestinian people's suffering and in defense of Yemen."

In solidarity with Gaza, which has been facing devastating Israeli attacks supported by the U.S. since last Oct, 7, the Houthis have been targeting Israeli or related cargo ships in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean with missiles and drones.

Since the beginning of 2024, a U.S.-led coalition has been carrying out airstrikes claiming to target Houthi positions in Yemen in response to the group's maritime attacks, which have occasionally been met with retaliation from the Houthis.

With Washington and London intervening and tensions escalating in January, the Houthi group announced it now considers all American and British ships as military targets.