US drone shot down over Yemen

An American drone was shot down off the coast of Yemen on Wednesday by the Iranian-backed Houthis, according to a U.S. Defense official.

The U.S. official said the drone was an MQ-9 Reaper, a surveillance drone that can be armed with missiles. The drone costs around $32 million.

The attack is the latest on U.S. forces in the Middle East, where the Pentagon says Iranian-backed groups are seeking to take advantage of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

The U.S. has been assaulted in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militants firing rockets and explosive drones around 40 times since the war began.

The Pentagon said this week that 46 U.S. service members have been injured, including more than 20 with traumatic brain injuries.

The Houthis are a faction in Yemen that have been fighting a major civil war against the country’s government for years.

Houthi forces also fired rockets at a U.S. warship last month and have targeted positions in Israel.