Yemen's Houthi armed group has successfully shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone in Marib province, according to a statement from Houthi spokesman Yahya Surrey on Wednesday. This marks the sixth incident of the Houthi forces destroying an MQ-9 drone.

The drone was reportedly targeted and destroyed using a surface-to-air missile developed with the group's own technology. This latest incident follows a similar event last week, where another US MQ-9 Reaper drone was downed in Al Bayda province.

In his statement, Surrey confirmed the operation, emphasizing the capabilities of the Houthi air defense forces. "The air defense forces of the Houthi military wing successfully shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone as it entered the airspace of Marib Province to conduct a mission," Surrey said. "It was destroyed by indigenously developed surface-to-air missiles."

The repeated downing of US drones highlights the ongoing conflict and the Houthi group's advancing technological capabilities in air defense. The US has not yet commented on the incident.

This development adds to the complexity of the situation in Yemen, where the conflict continues to have significant regional and international implications.