Yemeni Air Defenses Down American MQ-9 Drone in Al-Baidha

The air defenses of the Yemeni Armed Forces successfully shot down an American MQ-9 drone while it was carrying out hostile missions in the airspace of Al-Baidha Governorate.

The Yemeni Armed Forces in a statement on Saturday, December 28, 2024, confirmed that the aircraft was shot down by a domestically made surface-to-air missile.

This aircraft is the 13th one that our air defenses have successfully shot down during the Battle of the Promised Victory, the Holy Jihad in support of Gaza.

The Yemeni Armed Forces also confirmed their continued resistance to all enemy attempts to undermine the sovereignty of our country, emphasizing that they will continue their supporting operations for Gaza. These operations will not stop until the aggression against Gaza is halted, the siege is lifted.

The downing of American MQ-9 Reaper drones in Yemen began on October 1, 2017, with Yemeni Air Defenses shooting down the first one over Sana’a, creating a major shock for the US-Saudi coalition. Since then, Yemen has intercepted additional MQ-9s, including in Hodeidah (2019), Dhamar (2019), and Marib (2021).

The MQ-9 Reaper, valued at around $30 million, is a technologically advanced drone with high-resolution cameras, a 360-degree radar system, and the ability to carry out surveillance and targeted strikes. It boasts a flight range of 3,000 kilometers and can fly up to 45,000 feet for up to 40 hours.