ADEN, Yemen, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi group said Saturday their air defenses have successfully shot down an American MQ-9 drone over the northeastern province of Marib.
The downing of the drone, the eighth of its kind shot down by the armed group, was carried out "in victory for the oppressed Palestinian people and in response to the American-British aggression against Yemen," Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said in a statement.
The drone was "carrying out hostile acts" when it was intercepted, Sarea said.
However, a source within Yemen's pro-government armed forces said "there was no evidence to support the Houthis' assertion of downing a U.S. drone."
The unnamed source said that "such claims are often made by the Houthis as a tactic to boost their fighters' morale in combat."
So far, there has been no confirmation from the U.S. side regarding the Houthi claim.
The MQ-9, also known as the Reaper, is an unmanned aerial vehicle primarily used by U.S. military and intelligence organizations for both surveillance and combat operations. ■