It is the 15th American drone that has been downed by the Yemenis since 2023, after the Houthis announced their entry into the Gaza war as a 'support front' for the Palestinians, along with their blockade of Israeli-linked shipping in the Red Sea.
Despite repeated Israeli and American bombing campaigns and the formation of a US-led maritime task force dubbed 'Prosperity Guardian', the Houthis have not been deterred, as they continue to target US assets in and around Yemen. Their blockade of the Red Sea was recently put on hold, in lockstep with the ceasefire in Gaza.
The Houthis have targeted US assets since 2015, when an American-backed Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia initiated a prolonged war and economic siege against Yemen, following the ousting of the Saudi-backed government and the Houthi takeover of the capital Sanaa.