A U.S. MQ-9 drone was struck but safely recovered while operating in the Middle East this week, a U.S. defense official told VOA on Friday.
"We can confirm that a U.S. Air Force MQ-9 drone was struck but then landed safely and was recovered by U.S. partner forces on September 9. An investigation into the incident is underway. There were no reported injuries," the defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss national security sensitivities, said in a statement.
The news came days after Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi militants claimed they shot down an MQ-9 drone flying over that country.
Houthi spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree said in a prerecorded video message Sunday that the drone had been shot down over Yemen's Marib province, home to key oil and gas fields. The province has been held by allies of a Saudi-led coalition that has been at war with the Houthis for years.
It was unclear from the U.S. statement where in the Middle East the drone was struck or who struck it. It was also unclear if the drone was struck and recovered on the same day — Monday — or struck before the Monday recovery. When VOA asked for clarification, it was told there were "no additional details to share at this time."
The Houthis have downed U.S. drones several times since 2014, when the Iranian-backed group seized Yemen's capital. The attacks on U.S. drones, along with attacks on commercial and military vessels transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, have drastically increased since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
The Houthis' continuous assault campaign has disrupted commercial shipping in the important corridor, prompting many shipping companies to reroute ships.
The militants have targeted more than 80 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the war in Gaza started in October, seizing one, sinking two and killing at least four sailors. Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by a U.S.-led coalition in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets.
The Houthi militant campaign began after Israel launched a retaliatory attack against Hamas in Gaza following Hamas' October 7 terror attack, and the Houthis claim they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians during the war.
MQ-9 drones, also known as Reapers, cost around $30 million each, can fly up to 24 hours before landing, and can reach altitudes of about 15,000 meters. The aircraft have been flown by both the U.S. military and the CIA over Yemen for years.
Some information for this report came from The Associated Press.
