The US has lost seven MQ-9 Reaper drones over Yemen in under six weeks, it has emerged, with three reportedly shot down in the past week as Washington escalates its military campaign against Iran-aligned Houthi rebels.
The high-altitude, long-endurance aircraft — each costing around $30 million (€26 million) — have been downed in a costly offensive launched by President Donald Trump on 15 March.
According to unnamed defence officials, the drones were involved in both strike and surveillance missions when they were shot down by the Houthis, with the losses occurring both over land and at sea.
According to one official, hostile fire is likely the cause, though investigations are ongoing.
The US has conducted near-daily airstrikes on Houthi positions, with Central Command confirming that over 800 targets have been hit, including command centres, weapons storage facilities and air defence systems.
“These strikes have… killed hundreds of Houthi fighters and numerous Houthi leaders,” said Central Command spokesperson Dave Eastburn on Thursday.
The attacks by the Houthis underscore their growing ability to strike advanced US platforms. One defence official confirmed that drone losses occurred on 31 March and on 3, 9, 13, 18, 19 and 22 April.
Civilian casualties raise alarm
Alongside the drone losses, concerns are growing in Washington over the civilian toll of the intensified US strikes.
In a letter to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Democratic senators Chris Van Hollen, Elizabeth Warren and Tim Kaine questioned whether the administration was “abandoning the measures necessary to meet its obligations to reducing civilian harm”.
“Civilian casualties actually undermine the mission that the military has been sent in to do,” the senators wrote, citing reports that recent strikes at the Ras Isa oil terminal may have killed more than 70 civilians.
Yet despite the increasing scrutiny of the offensive, the US military continues to maintain an aggressive posture in the region. A naval presence has been assembled, including two aircraft carriers, the USS Harry S. Truman and USS Carl Vinson, and their associated strike groups.
The Truman is currently operating in the Red Sea, while the Vinson is positioned in the Gulf of Aden. Defence Secretary Hegseth is reportedly considering extending the Truman's deployment further.
The increased presence is part of an effort to contain the Houthi threat and ensure freedom of navigation through the Red Sea, a key global trade route. The Houthis have launched numerous missiles and drones at US and allied naval vessels in recent months, though none have made a direct hit.
The rebel group claims its attacks are part of a broader campaign to pressure Israel into halting its war in Gaza. From November 2023 to January, the Houthis targeted over 100 merchant vessels, sinking two and killing four sailors, severely disrupting a corridor that handles approximately $1 trillion (€882 billion) in global trade annually.
