Houthi rebels have shot down 7 US Reaper drones worth $200 million in recent weeks

By LOLITA C BALDOR WASHINGTON AP Houthi rebels in Yemen have shot down seven U S Reaper drones in less than six weeks a loss of aircraft worth more than million in what is becoming the majority of dramatic cost to the Pentagon of the military campaign against the Iran-backed militants Related Articles Crimea is a focus of discussions to end Russia s war in Ukraine Here s why it s so coveted India and Pakistan are again teetering on the brink of conflict over disputed Kashmir Here s why Istanbul residents spend the night outdoors after a strong earthquake and aftershocks IMF chief urges countries to move swiftly to resolve deal tensions that threaten global enhancement Pope Francis specialist says pontiff died without suffering at home According to defense personnel 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 stated the authorities 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 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 The U S has done more than strikes on the Houthis since that new effort began Another defense official declared that although hostile fire is likely the cause of the drone losses the incidents are still under inquiry The official noted that the increase in U S strikes can add to the peril to aircraft but announced the U S will take every measure doable 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 million each and generally fly at altitudes of more than feet meters Houthis leaders have consistently touted the strikes in constituents statements One of the defense administrators disclosed the U S lost Reaper drones on March and on April and 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 civilians Military leaders agree that ingraining civilian harm mitigation practices within U S operations leads to better outcomes and that civilian casualties certainly undermine the mission that the military has been sent in to do their letter commented 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 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 In this photo taken from video published by Al Masirah TV channel shows a burning oil tanker after U S airstrikes targeted the Ras Isa oil port held by Yemen s Houthi rebels in Hodeida Yemen Friday April Al Masirah TV via AP 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 selected of its strike group in the region for several more weeks It has been rare in contemporary 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 the bulk 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 until this January the Houthis targeted more than merchant vessels with missiles and drones sinking two of them and killing four sailors That has greatly reduced the flow of arrangement through the Red Sea corridor which typically sees trillion of goods move through it annually