Second US MQ-9 drone destroyed in 72 hours by…, will this lead to full-fledged war?

Houthi rebels in Yemen own claimed responsibility for shooting down a U.S. MQ-9 drone over central Yemen on Wednesday. This marks the 2d MQ-9 drone reportedly downed by the Houthis internal 72 hours. In line with Houthi militia spokesperson Yahya Saree, the drone used to be conducting a mission over the Marib province when it used to be destroyed the exhaust of a in the neighborhood manufactured ground-to-air missile. This incident is the 14th such drone shot down by the Houthis since November 2023.

Al-Masirah TV, a Houthi-affiliated channel, acknowledged that photos of the downed drone would quickly be broadcast. On the other hand, the U.S. militia has not issued any reliable assertion in accordance to the impart. The Houthis own made identical assertions previously regarding such incidents.

Since November 2023, the Houthis were actively excited by rocket and drone assaults in opposition to Israel, aligning with Palestinian harmony at some level of the Gaza battle. They've also disrupted “Israel-linked” shipping in the Pink Sea. In retaliation, the U.S.-led naval coalition has applied a lot of airstrikes focused on Houthi forces and continues to have interaction in operations in opposition to them. The Houthi group maintains preserve watch over over significant parts of Yemen.

On Tuesday, U.S. Central Disclose released a assertion on the social media platform X, outlining a pair of precision strikes in opposition to Houthi-managed coastal areas in Yemen. The targets incorporated Houthi expose and preserve watch over services, superior broken-down weapons (ACW) production and storage sites, as successfully as coastal radar installations. U.S. Navy and Air Force aircraft also destroyed seven cruise missiles and a lot of one-manner assault UAVs over the Pink Sea.