Houthi rebels have shot 7 US Reaper -drones in recent weeks worth $ 200 million: NPR

Washington-Houthi rebels in Yemen shot seven American Reaper drones in less than six weeks, a loss of aircraft worth more than $ 200 million in what becomes the most dramatic costs for the Pentagon of the military campaign against the militants supported by Iran.

According to defense officials, three of the drones were shot in the past week – which suggests that the targeting of the militants of the unmanned aircraft that flies over Yemen has been improved. The drones made attack runs or performed surveillance, and they crashed both in the water and land, said the officials who spoke due to anonymity to discuss military operations.

The US has increased its attacks on the Houthis and launched daily strikes since 15 March, when President Donald Trump ordered a new, extensive campaign. He promised to use “overwhelming fatal force” until the Houthis stop their attacks on shipping along a vital maritime corridor.

Spokesperson for the Central Command Dave Eastburn said on Thursday evening that the US has hit more than 800 Houthi goals. “These strikes have several command and control facilities, anti-aircraft systems, advanced weapon facilities, advanced weapon storage locations destroyed and hundreds of Houthi hunters and countless Houthi leaders,” Eastburn said.

Another defense officer said that although hostile fire is probably the cause of the drone losses, the incidents are still being investigated. The official noted that the increase in American strikes can contribute to the risk for aircraft, but said that the US will take any measure to protect troops, equipment and interests in the region. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to comment on sensitive military issues.

The advanced drones, built by general Atomics, each cost around $ 30 million and generally fly at heights of more than 40,000 feet (12,100 meters). Houthis leaders have consistently advertised the strikes in public statements. One of the defense officials said that the US lost Reaper drones on March 31 and on 3, 9, 13, 18, 19 and 22 April.

In the meantime, US senators are concerned about civilian casualties caused by the US strikes in Yemen. Democratic Sens. Chris van Hollen van Maryland, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Tim Kaine van Virginia wrote to Defense Pete Hegseeth Minister on Thursday and wondered whether the Trump governance “abandons the measures that are necessary to meet its obligations to meet the obligations of civil damage”.

In particular, they asked reports that the US killed more than 70 citizens in Jemen in Yemen last week in the Ras Isa Fuel Terminal.

“Military leaders agree that the penetration of civil damage limit practices within the American operations leads to better results and that civilian casualties actually undermine the mission that the army has been submitted,” their letter said.

In addition to downing the drones, the Houthis have firmly fired drones on American military ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. They didn’t get there.

The US has used a range of warships, fighter jets, bombers and drones to hit the Houthis, and aircraft can now launch from two naval operators in the region.

Hegseeth decided in March to strengthen the presence of the Navy Warship in the middle and ordered the USS Harry S. Truman to expand the bet there, while the USS Carl Vinson steamed to the area.

The Truman, together with two of the torpedo hunters and a cruiser in his strike group, is now in the Red Sea. And the Vinson, together with two torpedo hunters and a cruiser, is located in the Gulf of Aden.

The third torpedo hunter assigned to the Truman is located in the Mediterranean Sea. And two other American navy torpedo hunters are in the Red Sea, but not part of the group of the Truman.

Hegseeth weighs whether he has to grant a request by US Central Command to re -extend the use of the Truman. The Truman and at least part of the strike group in the region can keep a decision to do that for a few weeks.

In recent years it has been rare for the US to have two aircraft carriers in the middle at the same time. Navy leaders have generally been against the idea because it disrupts the maintenance schedules for ship maintenance and delays time at home for sailors who are tense due to the unusually high pace of combat.

Last year the BIDEN administration ordered the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft cover to stay in the Red Sea for a longer period of time, because American warships have been fighting the most intense current seafight since the Second World War.

Before that it was years ago that the US had committed so much warship power to the middle -east.

The Houthis have taken persistent rocket and drone attacks against commercial and military ships in the region in what the leadership of the group has described as an attempt to end the Israeli war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

From November 2023 to January, De Houthis focused on more than 100 merchant ships with rockets and drones, two of them sink four sailors. This has considerably reduced the trade flow through the Red Sea Gang, so that usually $ 1 trillion goods move through every year.