Houthi rebels in Yemen have shot down seven U.S. Reaper drones in less than six weeks, costing the Pentagon over $200 million and marking a sharp escalation in both the scope and cost of Washington's military campaign against the Iran-backed group. The losses come as U.S. strikes intensify and civilian casualties rise, prompting fresh scrutiny from lawmakers in Washington.
Defense officials said three drones were downed in the past week alone, with additional aircraft lost on March 31 and April 3, 9, 13, 18, and 19. "These strikes have destroyed multiple command-and-control facilities, air defense systems, advanced weapons manufacturing facilities, advanced weapons storage locations, and killed hundreds of Houthi fighters and numerous Houthi leaders," said U.S. Central Command spokesperson Dave Eastburn on Thursday.
The Reaper drones, made by General Atomics, cost approximately $30 million each and are capable of high-altitude surveillance and strike missions. The aircraft were either conducting reconnaissance or attack runs when they were brought down, crashing into water or land, according to multiple defense officials. One official noted that the incidents are still under investigation but are likely the result of hostile fire.
The surge in drone losses follows President Donald Trump's March 15 order to expand military operations against the Houthis, promising "overwhelming lethal force" until the rebels cease attacks on commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea corridor. Since then, the U.S. has launched daily strikes, totaling more than 800 targets.
The U.S. Navy has expanded its presence in the region. The USS Harry S. Truman and USS Carl Vinson aircraft carriers, each with associated strike groups, are now deployed across the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Additional destroyers operate independently, and Hegseth is considering extending the Truman's deployment even further, according to defense sources.
While the campaign has inflicted damage on Houthi infrastructure and leadership, the Pentagon is facing backlash over the humanitarian toll. Airwars, a UK-based conflict monitor, estimated that between 27 and 55 civilians were killed in U.S. strikes during March alone. An April strike on the Ras Isa fuel terminal reportedly killed more than 70 people, and a follow-up strike in Sanaa on Monday killed 12 more.
In a letter sent Thursday, Senators Chris Van Hollen (D., Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.), and Tim Kaine (D., Va.) questioned whether the Trump administration is "abandoning the measures necessary to meet its obligations to reducing civilian harm." The senators cited reports of escalating non-combatant deaths, particularly the Ras Isa incident.
"Military leaders agree that ingraining civilian harm mitigation practices within U.S operations leads to better outcomes and that civilian casualties actually undermine the mission that the military has been sent in to do," the letter stated.
The Houthis continue to claim responsibility for targeting U.S., Israeli, and British ships in the region, declaring their operations are intended to pressure Israel to end its war in Gaza. Between November 2023 and January 2024, the group launched attacks on more than 100 merchant vessels, sinking two and killing four sailors. The violence has severely disrupted trade through the Red Sea, which typically handles $1 trillion in annual global commerce.
