American Report: Washington admits the loss of 12 MQ-9 drones in Yemen out of 15 since the start of the war on Gaza

Exclusive – Al-Khabar Al-Yemeni:

Report by Yahya Al-Sharafi:

For the first time, an American defense official admitted the number of American MQ-9 Reaper drones that were shot down by the Sana’a forces since the start of the war on Gaza in October 2023, confirming that the US lost at least 12 drones, in an admission that reflects the magnitude of American losses in Yemeni airspace.

Official Acknowledgment of Losses Despite Secrecy:

In a report published on the American military website “Stars and Stripes” on Wednesday, the defense official said that the drones, each costing about $30 million, are mainly used for gathering intelligence but are also capable of carrying out precision strikes.

The report pointed out that this is the first time an American official has provided an accurate number of drones that Sana’a has shot down, as the Pentagon has been following a policy of ambiguity regarding these losses, fearing the impact on the image of the American forces in the public opinion.

Sana’a’s Statistics Reveal Larger Figures:

Despite Washington’s acknowledgment of the loss of 12 MQ-9 drones, the statistics announced by the Sana’a forces indicate that 15 drones have been shot down since November 2023, the latest of which was this week over Hudaydah governorate.

The website quoted the American official as saying that one of the drones “disappeared” over the Red Sea on Monday, which is the same day Sana’a announced it had shot it down, adding that the American Central Command lost contact with the drone at the same time, in an indirect confirmation of the Yemeni claims.

Sana’a’s Successes Force Washington to Change Its Strategy:

According to a report by the American “Atlantic Council” last February, the success of the Sana’a forces in downing MQ-9 drones forced the US military to re-evaluate its strategy in deploying these drones, stressing that the Yemeni forces were able to neutralize American surveillance and attack capabilities through advanced technical means that were not expected.

The report added that Sana’a was able to push the US military to over-rely on these drones as a result of its ability to successfully conceal its military positions, which led to an increase in the number of drones shot down in Yemen compared to any other region in the world historically.

The Biggest Blow to American Technological Superiority:

Experts confirm that the downing of this large number of advanced drones constitutes a severe blow to American technological superiority, as the MQ-9 Reaper is one of the most important attack and intelligence drones in the American arsenal and is mainly used in espionage operations and precision strikes in conflict areas.

But the ability of the Sana’a forces to repeatedly target them at a low cost compared to the exorbitant price of the drone reflects a major shift in the technological power balance between Washington and Sana’a and increases American concerns about the expansion of Yemeni air defense capabilities in the face of modern aircraft.

Washington between Recognition and Denial:

The Pentagon has long refused to disclose the true number of drones it has lost in Yemen, as it would acknowledge some incidents without details or claim to have recovered the drones after they were targeted. But with the increase in downing operations, it has become difficult to hide the facts with the repeated Yemeni announcement of military successes, which has prompted American officials to implicitly acknowledge the losses in an attempt to limit their media and military impact.

A Clear Defeat:

These American admissions reveal that Yemen has today become the largest arena for the downing of American drones globally, which is a clear indication of the growing air defense capabilities of the Sana’a forces and their ability to neutralize one of the most important intelligence and offensive weapons that Washington relies on.

With the continued confrontation in the Red Sea and Yemeni airspace, the US appears to be facing a real challenge to reconsider its military strategies in the region, amid increasing losses that may change the equations of American air superiority in the Middle East.