Seven expensive drones, each valued at millions, have been lost in the Yemen region by the US since March.
In mid-March, Washington unleashed another round of air strikes against Yemen's Huthi rebels, with MQ-9s playing a dual role - reconnaissance and strikes. Unfortunately, seven MQ-9s have gone down since then, the cause of their demise remaining undisclosed. Each drone costs around $30 million.
Meanwhile, the US Navy also reported the loss of an F/A-18E warplane and a tractor towing it from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier. The mishap led to the injury of one sailor, and neither the warplane nor the tractor were recovered. The carrier's operations remain uninterrupted, with the incident currently under investigation.
Interestingly, this isn't the first time an F/A-18E has gone missing from the Truman. Last year, another was accidentally shot down by the USS Gettysburg guided missile cruiser. Despite the losses, the Truman, alongside another US aircraft carrier, continues its near-daily strikes on the Huthis.
According to the military, US forces have struck over 800 targets and eliminated hundreds of Huthi fighters, including key leadership figures. However, the Huthis have retaliated, with reports of a migrant detention center in their stronghold of Saada being hit on Monday, resulting in at least 68 fatalities.
The Iran-backed Huthis started targeting shipping lanes in late 2023, citing solidarity with Palestinians. Their actions have severely hindered sea traffic through the Suez Canal, a vital trading route. Despite the ongoing conflict, the US military under President Biden has continued strikes against the Huthis, and former President Trump vowed to maintain the operation until the rebels no longer pose a threat to shipping.
In 2025, it was reported that the United States may consider expanding its operations against the Iran-backed Huthis in Yemen, potentially including the use of aircraft like the MQ-9, whose cost per unit is around $30 million. Interestingly, the Gettysburg, a US guided missile cruiser, was involved in a mishap with an F/A-18E warplane from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in Gettysburg last year, similar to a recent incident where one went down without recovery. Given the continuous near-daily strikes on the Huthis by both the Truman and another US aircraft carrier, it is unclear whether the sports of war or politics will take the lead in Gaza or Israel's foreign relations with the region in the coming years.
