Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al-Mayadeen's correspondent in southern Lebanon: Israeli occupation forces withdraw from the Blida municipality building two hours after occupying it, and the Lebanese army enters
Pakistani army: 6 soldiers and 7 militants killed in clash near the Afghan border
Israeli media: Sirens sound in the settlement of Kerem Shalom in the Gaza envelope area
Afghan source to Al Mayadeen: We still believe in dialogue and prioritize diplomatic solutions with Pakistan; though we are ready for all possibilities.
Afghan source to Al Mayadeen: Pakistan purposely obstructed negotiations in Turkey by making unrealistic demands.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: More than 70 martyrs in Israeli attacks on Gaza since dawn.
Death toll from latest Israeli strikes on Gaza rises to 30
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Five killed in the Israeli bombing of a civilian vehicle on Al-Qassam Street in Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip
Hamas confirms that it has no connection to the shooting incident in Rafah and affirms its commitment to the ceasefire agreement
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Two civilians were killed and four others, including a child and an infant, were injured in an Israeli bombing of a house belonging to the Al-Banna family in the al-Sabra neighborhood, south of Gaza City

Watch: Yemeni missile downs US MQ-9 drone over Hodeidah

  • By Ali Halawi
  • Source: Yemeni Armed Forces - Military media
  • 19 Feb 2024 23:27
  • 6 Shares
3 Min Read

The Yemeni Armed Forces release footage of their locally produced air defense system ripping apart a hostile US drone on Monday.

  • x
  • Watch: Yemeni missile downs US MQ-9 drone over al-Hodeidah
    Members of the Yemeni Armed Forces collect the debris of a US-operated MQ-9 drone from the shore of al-Hodeidah, Yemen, on February 19, 2024. (Yemeni Armed Forces/Military Media)

The Yemeni Armed Forces released footage detailing the moment that their air defense systems fired at and took down an MQ-9 drone over al-Hodeidah.

The drone is a multirole top-of-the-line US-made and operated aerial vehicle, equipped with state-of-the-art surveillance systems. It has been used in multiple high-profile assassinations in West Asia, awarding it a formidable reputation. However, factions of the Axis of Resistance have downed three MQ-9 drones since November 8, 2023, including the one destroyed on Monday. 

Members of the Armed Forces are seen collecting the debris produced by a direct hit to the target, which had plunged toward al-Hodeidah's coastline in the early morning hours.

#WATCH | Yemeni Armed Forces publish footage of the #Yemeni air defenses shooting down a US MQ9 drone in the skies of #Hodeidah Province with a locally-made surface-to-air missile while it was launching an attack on the region.#Yemen pic.twitter.com/CHQSZUZUp6

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) February 19, 2024

The wreckage shows just how effective the YAF's air defense tactics are, as the drone was seen peeled to the bone with only its 20m wide chassis remaining intact.

On Monday morning, the spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announced that the YAF downed the drone, adding that the Yemeni Naval forces targeted the UK-owned RUBYMAR bulk carrier in the Gulf of Aden. Later, Saree said that the RUBYMAR sank after its crew were evacuated. He also added that the YAF's Navy targeted and hit US bulk carriers "Sea Champion" and "Navis Fortuna" in the same area.

Related News

Trump directs Pentagon to begin nuclear weapons testing

Trump: South Korea to build nuclear submarine in Philadelphia shipyard

Previously, the Yemeni military had unveiled and paraded several locally produced air defense systems, which are near replicas of Iranian-made air defense systems and weapons.

Among those surface-to-air missiles put on display on September 22, 2023, were the locally-produced Bareq-1 and Bareq-2 missiles. The missiles resemble the Iranian Taer line of missiles, which are used on a multitude of staple air defense systems.

  • Watch: Yemeni missile downs US MQ-9 drone over al-Hodeidah
    Members of the Yemeni Armed Forces stand on a mobile military carrier alongside launching pads holding Bareq-2 surface-to-air missiles, in Sanaa, Yemen, on September 21, 2023. (AFP)

A man-portable air-defense missile, dubbed Saqer-2, was also seen at the parade. The missile can be easily transported and launched to take down close-range targets, such as low-flying drones. It is also similar to the Iranian 358 surface-to-air missile.

Third MQ-9 downed 

The first downing of a US MQ-9 drone was recorded by the Yemeni Armed Forces on November 8, 2023.

  • Watch: Yemeni missile downs US MQ-9 drone over al-Hodeidah
    This illustration shows the moments a US-operated MQ-9 Reaper drone was detected and targeted by the Yemeni Armed Forces, on November 8, 2023. (Yemeni Armed Forces/Military media)

Since then, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq also dropped a US-operated MQ-9 drone over the eastern Governate Diyala, on January 19, 2024.

Alone, the Yemeni Armed Forces have downed a total of six MQ-9 drones since October 2017. A recent post by the YAF's military media recounted six events in which its air defenses targeted and hit the infamous US aerial vehicle. 

  1. Location: Sanaa; Date: October 2017
  2. Location: Al-Hodeidah; Date: June 2019
  3. Location: Dhumar; Date: August 2019
  4. Location: Marib; Date: March 2021
  5. Location: Yemeni territorial waters; Date: November 2023
  6. Location: Al-Hodeidah; Date: February 2024

Fox News reports the price of MQ-9 drones at $32 million, although the estimate is outdated and does not account for inflation. The fact that multiple factions of the Axis of Resistance have now proved their ability to take down the high-tech system sheds light on the Resistance's ability to confront the world's most advanced military, using available and limited resources.

Read more: Iraqi Resistance shoots down US MQ-9 drone amid CENTCOM silence

  • United States
  • Gaza Strip
  • MQ-9 Reaper
  • Hodeidah
  • Operation Al-Aqsa Flood
  • Yemeni Armed Forces
  • Gaza genocide
  • Yemen
  • Gaza
War on Gaza

War on Gaza

Most Read

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

  • Technology
  • 24 Oct 2025
Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

  • Politics
  • 27 Oct 2025
Hi-tech holocaust: Microsoft’s role in Gaza genocide

Microsoft's role in world’s first AI-driven genocide, in Gaza, exposed

  • Technology
  • 28 Oct 2025
What Marr evidently didn't seem to understand was that Hedges isn't saying that Western journalists manipulate the truth, but that they systematically amplify Israeli narratives they know are false. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Western journalists know they have a case to answer for their betrayal of Gaza, and it frightens them

  • Opinion
  • 24 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Displaced Sudanese who fled El-Fasher after the city fell to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), rest near the town of Tawila in war-torn Sudan's western Darfur region (AP)
Politics

UAE directly funded RSF, leading to fall of El-Fasher: Sudan

'You’re not welcome in Greece': Israelis face port protests
Politics

'You’re not welcome in Greece': Israelis face port protests

This photo released by the Israeli military on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023, shows ground operations inside the Gaza Strip (AP)
Politics

IOF soldier who fought in Gaza, Lebanon denied entry to Czech Republic

UN inquiry exposes 'Israel’s' four genocidal crimes against Gaza
Politics

'Israel' committed four genocidal acts in Gaza, UN inquiry finds

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS