Houthis Shoot Down 7 Us Reaper Drones Worth Over $200m Within Weeks: Report

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

THE HOUTHIS  IN YEMEN ARE GETTING PRETTY GOOD AT  SHOOTING DOWN U-S M-Q-9 REAPER DRONES.

THE IRANIAN-BACKED TERROR PROXI SAYS IT TOOK  OUT SEVEN REAPERS IN  LESS THAN SIX WEEKS, 

[TAKE VO]

EACH ONE OF THE DRONES COSTS AROUND 30 MILLION DOLLARS–SO THE COMBINED TOTAL OF LOSING ALL THOSE  HIGH-TECH MACHINES IS MORE THAN 200-MILLION DOLLARS.

THE INCREASE IN DOWNED DRONES COULD BE A FACTOR OF THE UPTICK IN U-S STRIKES AGAINST THE HOUTHIS–BUT PENTAGON OFFICIALS SAY IT ALSO  SHOWS THE GROUP IS  JUST GETTING BETTER AT TARGETING THE SOPHISTICATED UNMANNED AIRCRAFT.   THE DRONES STRUCK WERE EITHER CONDUCTING SURVEILLANCE MISSIONS OR ON “ATTACK RUNS.” THE PENTAGON SAYS AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING EACH DOWNING IS ONGOING.

LAST YEAR, HOUTHIS SHOT DOWN MULTIPLE REAPERS. THE FINDINGS FROM THOSE INVESTIGATIONS LINKED THE TERROR GROUP’S ENHANCED CAPABILITIES TO TEHRAN. THE MULLAH REGIME IS  PROVIDING THE HOUTHIS  WITH AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO DETECT FOR U-S FORCES AS THEY OFTEN LACK A HEAT SIGNATURE DUE TO THE ABSENCE OF A RADAR SYSTEM.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS PURSUING A MORE AGGRESSIVE MILITARY CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE REBELS THAN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION,  LAUNCHING DAILY STRIKES SINCE MID-MARCH. PRESIDENT TRUMP IS VOWING “OVERWHELMING LETHAL FORCE” AGAINST THE HOUTHIS IN AN EFFORT  TO ELIMINATE THEIR CAPABILITIES TO TARGET VESSELS IN THE RED SEA AND GULF OF ADEN. 

THE U-S NAVY HAS TWO CARRIER STRIKE GROUPS IN THE REGION, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER DESTROYERS IN THE RED SEA, AND ANOTHER ONE TO THE MEDITERRANEAN. THERE ARE ALSO A FLEET OF B-2 BOMBERS AT DIEGO GARCIA. IT’S THE MOST U-S FIREPOWER IN THE REGION IN YEARS, AND  ALLOWS THE U-S TO PULL OFF AIRSTRIKES WHILE THE MAJORITY OF THE FORCE REMAINS FAR ENOUGH AWAY TO AVOID ENEMY COUNTER-ATTACKS…BUT THAT STAND-OFF STRATEGY ALSO MEANS SENDING IN REAPERS FROM TIME TO TIME.

MILITARY OFFICIALS SAY U-S AIRSTRIKES HIT A BEVVY OF TARGETS, INCLUDING WEAPONS FACILITIES AND AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS. HUNDREDS OF REBELS ALONG WITH SOME OF THE GROUP’S TOP BRASS WERE REPORTEDLY KILLED IN THE STRIKES.

SO FAR, THE CURRENT THREE-WEEK CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE HOUTHIS ALREADY COST THE U-S AROUND A BILLION DOLLARS

SOME DEFENSE OFFICIALS WARN THE FOCUS ON YEMEN TAKES ATTENTION AWAY FROM BEIJING IN THE INDO-PACIFIC AND COULD HURT THE U-S’S ABILITY TO RESPOND TO CHINESE AGGRESSION.

ALTHOUGH, THE U-S CENTRAL COMMAND SAYS EFFORTS IN YEMEN ARE PROVING FRUITFUL. CITING A DROP IN “HOUTHI BALLISTIC MISSILE” ATTACKS BY NEARLY 90 PERCENT AND, AGAIN, SAYS THE FACT MORE DRONES ARE BEING SHOT DOWN BY HOUTHIS COULD BE DUE TO AN INCREASED “OPERATION TEMPO.” 

STILL, THE LOSS OF REAPERS IS HOLDING THE U-S BACK FROM LAUNCHING “PHASE TWO” OF THE MILITARY OPERATION, ACCORDING TO DEFENSE OFFICIALS.

THE U-S RELIES HEAVILY ON THESE DRONES IN THE ABSENCE OF BOOTS ON THE GROUND IN YEMEN, AS THEY PROVIDE INVALUABLE SCOUTING ON ENEMY MOVEMENTS AS WELL AS TARGETS AND ARE CAPABLE OF LAUNCHING HELLFIRE MISSILES.

THE LOSS OF REAPERS ISN’T THE ONLY CONCERN EITHER.. MULTIPLE DEMOCRATIC SENATORS ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE CIVILIAN CASUALTIES LINKED TO AMERICAN AIRSTRIKES IN YEMEN–QUESTIONING WHETHER  THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS DOING EVERYTHING IT CAN TO “REDUCE CIVILIAN HARM.” A RECENT U-S STRIKE ON A FUEL FACILITY IN YEMEN REPORTEDLY KILLED DOZENS OF CIVILIANS. 

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