News - Yemen: A US official has reluctantly acknowledged the downing of an MQ-9 Reaper drone, struck by Yemeni Armed Forces this week in the skies over Al-Baidah province. This marks the 13th drone of its type to be shot down since late 2023, amidst a noticeable US effort to avoid openly addressing the incident. The reluctance underscores the severe embarrassment faced by the US military in admitting its inability to safeguard its advanced technology, symbolized by these drones.

Amid tight-lipped official silence, Newsweek quoted a US defense official stating, “We are aware of the reports regarding the downing of an MQ-9 Reaper and are currently investigating.” The official refused to provide further details, while US Central Command also declined to comment.

The US has previously relied on vague and ambiguous statements to dodge formally acknowledging the loss of MQ-9 drones, though some instances were later confirmed. This evasiveness reflects the profound embarrassment caused by the repeated failure of one of the most advanced pieces of military technology—prized for its superior surveillance and combat capabilities and valued at over $32 million per unit, excluding the costs of its missiles, additional equipment, and operational expenses.

With Yemen having downed 13 of these drones since November 2023-and 17 since 2015-, the country has solidified its reputation as the largest graveyard for this cutting-edge technology globally. This intensifies the US military’s predicament, particularly when coupled with humiliating naval losses. Yemen has also demonstrated its ability to neutralize advanced US naval assets, including aircraft carriers, signaling a historic turning point.

The downing of the 13th MQ-9 drone alone brings the US military’s direct losses in this domain to at least $416 million. This figure adds to the hefty price tag of the broader losses incurred by the US since its direct confrontation with Yemen’s support front for Gaza began. In November, an American research center estimated these cumulative costs at $4.86 billion.