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Egypt Independent
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
Huthis' successful targeting of US drones is hampering Trump's mission to kill group's senior leadership
CNN — In the month since the US launched a major military campaign targeting the Huthi rebel group in Yemen, the militants have successfully shot down at least seven multi-million-dollar American drones, hindering the US' ability to move into 'phase two' of the operation, multiple US officials familiar with the matter told CNN. The US was hoping to achieve air superiority over Yemen within 30 days, officials said and degrade Huthi air defense systems enough to begin a new phase focusing on ramping up intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance of senior Huthi leaders in order to target and kill them, the officials said. But the platforms best suited to conduct that persistent effort, the MQ9 Reaper drones, keep getting shot down, the officials explained. In fact, the Huthis are only getting better at targeting them, the officials said. The US does not have boots on the ground in Yemen, so it relies on overhead surveillance — much of it from the MQ9s—to conduct battlefield damage assessments and track terrorists. CNN reported earlier this month that the US had killed several Huthi officials considered to be mid-level, akin to 'middle management,' rather than senior political leadership. The officials said the US had hit over 700 targets and launched more than 300 airstrikes since the campaign began on March 15. The strikes have forced the Huthis to stay underground more and left them in a 'confused and disarrayed state,' the officials noted. But the consistent loss of the drones has made it more difficult for the US to determine precisely how much the US has degraded the Huthis' weapons stockpiles. Over the last six weeks, the Huthis have launched 77 one-way attack drones, 30 cruise missiles, 24 medium-range ballistic missiles, and 23 surface-to-air missiles either at US forces, into the Red Sea, or at Israel, two of the officials said. The intelligence community has also assessed in recent days that over nearly six weeks of US bombing, the Huthis' ability and intent to keep lobbing missiles at US and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and at Israel is little changed, as is their command-and-control structure, according to two other people familiar with the intelligence. These assessments were largely based on signals intelligence, one of the people said. Yemenis watch a damaged vehicle at Farwah popular market which Huthis said it was struck by US airstrikes in Sanaa, Yemen, on April 21. AP Asked for comment about the downed drones and whether it has negatively impacted the operation, a defense official told CNN in a statement that 'we are aware of the Huthi reports these MQ-9s have been shot down. While hostile fire is likely a probable cause, the circumstances of each incident are still under investigation. A variety of factors, including an increase in operational tempo, can increase risk. The U.S. will take every measure possible to protect our troops, equipment, and interests in the region.' Dave Eastburn, a spokesman for US Central Command, told CNN details about the US' operation were limited because of operational security. He said, however, that the strikes 'have destroyed multiple command-and-control facilities, air defense systems, advanced weapons manufacturing facilities, advanced weapons storage locations, and killed hundreds of Huthi fighters and numerous Huthi leaders.' 'Credible open sources report over 650 Huthi casualties to date,' Eastburn said. 'Additionally, Huthi ballistic missile launches have dropped by 87% while attacks from their one-way drones have decreased by 65% since the beginning of these operations.' The administration is vowing to continue with the campaign until the Huthis can no longer attack Red Sea shipping. In a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson last month, President Donald Trump said the operations would continue 'until the Huthi threat to United States forces and navigational rights and freedoms in the Red Sea and adjacent waters has abated.' But the Huthis have long proven to be extremely resilient, burying their equipment deep underground and continuing to receive supplies from Iran. They withstood a yearslong campaign by Saudi Arabia to eliminate them, and the Biden administration attacked them for over a year with limited impact. Despite internal assessments raising questions about the efficacy of the campaign, the Trump administration has repeatedly claimed that it has been wildly successful so far. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called it 'devastatingly effective' in March. Trump posted on X in March that the Huthis 'have been decimated' and their capabilities 'are rapidly being destroyed.' While Eastburn provided additional data on Thursday regarding the impact of US strikes, US Central Command has been largely silent about the impact, however, even as it routinely shares photos and videos on its X account of missiles firing off of warships or US aircraft preparing to launch off aircraft carriers in the Red Sea. The Pentagon has also not addressed claims by the Huthis that the airstrikes have killed dozens of civilians. In a rare update, CENTCOM said last week that it had destroyed a port in Yemen that the Huthis were using to import oil and fuel their attacks. But the impact of that on the Huthis' operations similarly remains unclear. One of the US officials who spoke to CNN left the door open for a continuous campaign in support of US partners in the Gulf region against the Huthis, similar to how the US operates in Africa. The costs of the campaign, meanwhile, are only rising. The operation cost the US nearly $1 billion in just the first three weeks, and the US has continued striking Huthi targets daily for over a month. This photograph released by the US Navy shows a MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter hovering over the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier while operating in the Middle East on April 12. Petty Officer 3rd Class Nathan Jordan/US Navy/AP The large-scale operation has also rattled some officials at US Indo-Pacific Command, who CNN has reported had complained in recent weeks about the large number of long-range weapons being expended by CENTCOM that would be critical in the event of a war with China. 'We have to maintain a high state of indications and warning so we can get those forces back if there is a crisis with greater exigence than there is one in the CENTCOM (area of responsibility),' US Indo-Pacific Command Commander Adm. Sam Paparo told the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this month, after an entire Patriot air defense battalion was moved from the Pacific to US Central Command. 'And I owe the secretary and the president constant vigilance on this,' he added, 'and a constant awareness of that force's ability – which is assigned to INDOPACOM, the Carl Vinson Strike Group and a Patriot battalion – if need be that they return to the INDOPACOM theater for a higher priority threat.'
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US forces have hit more than 800 targets in Yemen since March
The U.S. military carried out airstrikes on more than 800 targets in Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen since March 15, U.S. Central Command said this past week. These strikes have destroyed multiple command-and-control facilities, air defense systems, advanced weapons manufacturing facilities, advanced weapons storage locations, and killed hundreds of Houthi fighters and numerous Houthi leaders,' CENTCOM spokesman Dave Eastburn said in a statement to Task & Purpose, echoing comments given to reporters at the end of the week. Eastburn added that '[c]redible open sources report over 650 Houthi casualties to date,' although Task & Purpose could not independently verify if those killed were members of the Houthi movement. CENTCOM also said that Houthi ballistic missile launches are down 87%. dropped by 87%, and their launches of one-way attack drones are down 65%. The numbers are a rare update on the now month-and-a-half fight around Yemen. Despite multiple posts on the social media site X showing aircraft launching from carriers and messages announcing '24/7' operations against Houthis, the U.S. military has been quiet on specifics on how many airstrikes it is carrying out. After initially confirming operations on March 15, the U.S. military has been extremely vague on the tempo of airstrikes and what impact they are having, even as some other information on the operations has come out. One of the few incidents where information was shared was the April 18 strike on the Ras Isa port in western Yemen, which killed several dozen people. The Yemen Data Project, which is tracking the amount of airstrikes in the conflict, reports that strikes in March were the second highest overall since the start of fighting in late 2023, behind only the number of airstrikes in February 2024. The strikes, which picked up after two months of tentative calm, came after Houthis announced plans to restart attacks on shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The group began such attacks in October 2023, following the Israeli war in Gaza, which in turn led to American and allied navies shooting down dozens of missiles and drones fired at commercial or military vessels. Two commercial ships have been sunk as a result. From January 2024-January 2025 the United States and allies carried out several airstrikes in Yemen separate from those intercept operations. At the end of 2024 one crewed F/A-18F Super Hornet was accidentally shot down by the U.S. Navy. The Associated Press reports that Houthi forces shot down seven U.S. military MQ-9 drones between March 31-April 22, worth roughly $200 million in total. Three of those seven were all shot down within the past week. Houthis had previously claimed to have shot down 14 American drones between fall 2023 and the end of 2024, per the Atlantic Council. Neither Central Command or Houthi officials have said what has led to the high frequency of U.S. drone shootdowns in the last six weeks compared to the previous phase of the conflict. U.S. officials did not point to how many mid-air intercepts have been done in the past six weeks. Houthi forces have made repeated claims of firing on U.S. Navy ships, and the Navy has said it shot down one-way attack drones aimed at vessels, but it's unclear how many drones and missiles the Navy has taken out since March 15. Between October 2023-December 2024, those types of intercepts were a common, sometimes daily occurrence. The frequency of such operations put the Navy in its biggest battle since World War II and proved to be a challenge for munitions. Houthi weapons fired are relatively cheap, whereas for months the United States has launched expensive Standard Missiles and other munitions, with each one ranging between $2 million-$27.9 million. At the end of Operation Poseidon Archer, the term for the strikes done between January 2024-January 2025, the Navy reported that it had fired roughly 400 munitions, including 120 SM-2 missiles. The Navy has said that it is pursuing cheaper alternatives to deal with the high tempo of airstrikes and intercept missions. Top enlisted leader of Air Force Special Operations Command fired amid investigation The Marine in one of the most famous recruiting commercials is now in Congress 75th Ranger Regiment wins 2025 Best Ranger Competition Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer reenlists in Marine Reserve Air Force pilots get a new way to pee at 30,000 feet
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Houthi rebels have shot down 7 US Reaper drones in recent weeks
Houthi rebels in Yemen have shot down seven U.S. Reaper drones in less than six weeks, a loss of aircraft worth more than $200 million in what is becoming the most dramatic cost to the Pentagon of the military campaign against the Iran-backed militants. According to defense officials, three of the drones were shot down in the past week — suggesting the militants' targeting of the unmanned aircraft flying over Yemen has improved. The drones were doing attack runs or conducting surveillance, and they crashed both into the water and onto land, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations. The U.S. has increased its attacks on the Houthis, launching daily strikes since March 15, when President Donald Trump ordered a new, expanded campaign. He promised to use 'overwhelming lethal force' until the Houthis cease their attacks on shipping along a vital maritime corridor. Central Command spokesman Dave Eastburn said Thursday night that the U.S. has struck more than 800 Houthi targets. 'These strikes have destroyed multiple command-and-control facilities, air defense systems, advanced weapons manufacturing facilities, advanced weapons storage locations, and killed hundreds of Houthi fighters and numerous Houthi leaders,' Eastburn said. Another defense official said that although hostile fire is likely the cause of the drone losses, the incidents are still under investigation. The official noted that the increase in U.S. strikes can add to the risk to aircraft, but said the U.S. will take every measure possible to protect troops, equipment and interests in the region. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to comment on sensitive military issues. US forces strike Yemen oil port in ongoing campaign against Houthis The sophisticated drones, built by General Atomics, cost about $30 million each, and generally fly at altitudes of more than 40,000 feet. Houthis leaders have consistently touted the strikes in public statements. One of the defense officials said the U.S. lost Reaper drones on March 31 and on April 3, 9, 13, 18, 19 and 22. U.S. senators, meanwhile, are raising concerns about civilian casualties caused by the American strikes in Yemen. Democratic Sens. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Tim Kaine of Virginia wrote to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday questioning whether the Trump administration is 'abandoning the measures necessary to meet its obligations to reducing civilian harm.' Specifically, they questioned reports that U.S. strikes at the Ras Isa fuel terminal in Yemen last week potentially killed more than 70 civilians. 'Military leaders agree that ingraining civilian harm mitigation practices within U.S operations leads to better outcomes and that civilian casualties actually undermine the mission that the military has been sent in to do,' their letter said. In addition to downing the drones, the Houthis have been persistently firing missiles and one-way attack drones at U.S. military ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. They haven't hit any. US sends F-35s to Middle East as strikes on Houthis continue The U.S. has been using an array of warships, fighter jets, bombers and drones to strike the Houthis, and aircraft can now launch from two Navy carriers in the region. Hegseth decided in March to beef up the Navy warship presence in the Middle East, ordering the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman to extend its deployment there, as the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson steamed toward the area. The Truman, along with two of the destroyers and a cruiser in its strike group, is now in the Red Sea. And the Vinson, along with two destroyers and a cruiser, is in the Gulf of Aden. The third destroyer assigned to the Truman is in the Mediterranean Sea. And two other U.S. Navy destroyers are in the Red Sea, but aren't part of the Truman's group. Hegseth is weighing whether to grant a request by U.S. Central Command to once again extend the Truman's deployment. A decision to do that could keep the Truman and at least some of its strike group in the region for several more weeks. It has been rare in recent years for the U.S. to have two aircraft carriers in the Middle East at the same time. Navy leaders have generally been opposed to the idea because it disrupts ship maintenance schedules and delays time at home for sailors strained by the unusually high combat tempo. Last year, the Biden administration ordered the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower to remain in the Red Sea for an extended time, as U.S. warships waged the most intense running sea battle since World War II. Prior to that, it had been years since the U.S. had committed that much warship power to the Middle East. The Houthis have been waging persistent missile and drone attacks against commercial and military ships in the region in what the group's leadership has described as an effort to end the Israeli war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. From November 2023 until this January, the Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two of them and killing four civilian sailors. That has greatly reduced the flow of trade through the Red Sea corridor, which typically sees $1 trillion of goods move through it annually.
The Hindu
25-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Houthi rebels have shot down seven U.S. Reaper drones worth $200 million in recent weeks
Houthi rebels in Yemen have shot down seven U.S. Reaper drones in less than six weeks, a loss of aircraft worth more than $200 million in what is becoming the most dramatic cost to the Pentagon of the military campaign against the Iran-backed militants. According to defense officials, three of the drones were shot down in the past week — suggesting the militants' targeting of the unmanned aircraft flying over Yemen has improved. The drones were doing attack runs or conducting surveillance, and they crashed both into the water and onto land, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations. The U.S. has increased its attacks on the Houthis, launching daily strikes since March 15, when U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a new, expanded campaign. He promised to use 'overwhelming lethal force' until the Houthis cease their attacks on shipping along a vital maritime corridor. Central Command spokesman Dave Eastburn said Thursday night that the U.S. has struck more than 800 Houthi targets. 'These strikes have destroyed multiple command-and-control facilities, air defense systems, advanced weapons manufacturing facilities, advanced weapons storage locations, and killed hundreds of Houthi fighters and numerous Houthi leaders,' Eastburn said. Another defense official said that although hostile fire is likely the cause of the drone losses, the incidents are still under investigation. The official noted that the increase in U.S. strikes can add to the risk to aircraft, but said the U.S. will take every measure possible to protect troops, equipment and interests in the region. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to comment on sensitive military issues. The sophisticated drones, built by General Atomics, cost about $30 million each, and generally fly at altitudes of more than 40,000 feet (12,100 meters). Houthis leaders have consistently touted the strikes in public statements. One of the defense officials said the U.S. lost Reaper drones on March 31 and on April 3, 9, 13, 18, 19 and 22. U.S. senators, meanwhile, are raising concerns about civilian casualties caused by the American strikes in Yemen. Democratic Sens. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Tim Kaine of Virginia wrote to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday questioning whether the Trump administration is 'abandoning the measures necessary to meet its obligations to reducing civilian harm.' Specifically, they questioned reports that U.S. strikes at the Ras Isa fuel terminal in Yemen last week potentially killed more than 70 civilians. 'Military leaders agree that ingraining civilian harm mitigation practices within U.S operations leads to better outcomes and that civilian casualties actually undermine the mission that the military has been sent in to do,' their letter said. In addition to downing the drones, the Houthis have been persistently firing missiles and one-way attack drones at U.S. military ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. They haven't hit any. The U.S. has been using an array of warships, fighter jets, bombers and drones to strike the Houthis, and aircraft can now launch from two Navy carriers in the region. Mr. Hegseth decided in March to beef up the Navy warship presence in the Middle East, ordering the USS Harry S. Truman to extend its deployment there, as the USS Carl Vinson steamed toward the area. The Truman, along with two of the destroyers and a cruiser in its strike group, is now in the Red Sea. And the Vinson, along with two destroyers and a cruiser, is in the Gulf of Aden. The third destroyer assigned to the Truman is in the Mediterranean Sea. And two other U.S. Navy destroyers are in the Red Sea, but aren't part of the Truman's group. Mr. Hegseth is weighing whether to grant a request by U.S. Central Command to once again extend the Truman's deployment. A decision to do that could keep the Truman and at least some of its strike group in the region for several more weeks. It has been rare in recent years for the U.S. to have two aircraft carriers in the Middle East at the same time. Navy leaders have generally been opposed to the idea because it disrupts ship maintenance schedules and delays time at home for sailors strained by the unusually high combat tempo. Last year, the Biden administration ordered the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier to remain in the Red Sea for an extended time, as U.S. warships waged the most intense running sea battle since World War II. Prior to that it had been years since the U.S. had committed that much warship power to the Middle East. The Houthis have been waging persistent missile and drone attacks against commercial and military ships in the region in what the group's leadership has described as an effort to end the Israeli war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. From November 2023 until this January, the Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two of them and killing four sailors. That has greatly reduced the flow of trade through the Red Sea corridor, which typically sees $1 trillion of goods move through it annually.
Al Jazeera
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Yemen's Houthi fighters down $200m worth of US drones in under six weeks
Yemen's Houthi armed group has shot down seven US Reaper drones worth more than $200m in recent weeks, marking the most significant material loss yet in Washington's campaign against the fighters. The drones were destroyed between March 31 and April 22, according to defence officials, as the Houthis step up efforts to target United States aircraft operating over Yemen. Three of the drones were lost in the past week alone, suggesting an improvement in the Houthis' ability to strike high-altitude US aircraft. The drones – each costing about $30m – were conducting surveillance or attack missions when they crashed into water or land. A defence official said the strikes occurred on March 31 and on April 3, 9, 13, 18, 19 and 22, according to The Associated Press news agency. Dozens of civilians have been reported killed in Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen since March 15 after US President Donald Trump ordered daily strikes against the group. Central Command spokesperson Dave Eastburn said on Thursday that US forces have struck more than 800 targets, destroying command centres, weapons depots and air defences, and killing hundreds of Houthi fighters and leaders. This claim could not be independently verified. Another US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the drone losses are under investigation but are likely the result of hostile fire, the AP reported. The Houthis have targeted mainly Israeli, US and British ships passing through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait in protest against Israel's war on Gaza. The group has said the attacks would stop if Israel agreed to a permanent ceasefire. The Trump administration appears to have shifted from targeting only infrastructure to deliberately striking figures within the Houthi movement. The strategic change comes amid rising civilian casualties from the US-led campaign, according to Airwars, a UK-based monitoring group. Airwars estimates that between 27 and 55 civilians were killed in US strikes during March. The group believes the toll in April is already considerably higher, though full figures remain unconfirmed. Earlier this month, a US air strike targeted the Ras Isa port, also in Hodeidah, killing at least 80 people and wounding more than 150. This was followed by another attack on Monday, which killed 12 people and wounded more than 30 others in Yemen's capital Sanaa. Concerns are growing in Washington over the human cost of the campaign. Senators Chris Van Hollen, Elizabeth Warren and Tim Kaine have written to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, questioning whether the administration is abandoning its responsibility to reduce civilian harm, particularly after reports emerged about the high civilian death toll on the Ras Isa fuel terminal.
