Centcom Confirms US Drone Shot Down Over Yemen

A U.S. MQ-9 Predator drone was shot down over Yemen in what appears to be by a Houthi SA-6 surface to air missile on Jun 6, 2019, US Centcom has confirmed.

The altitude of the engagement indicated an improvement over previous Houthi capability, which Centcom said was enabled by Iranian assistance.

Additionally, on June 13, 2019, according to Centcom’s assessment, a modified Iranian SA-7 surface-to-air missile attempted to shoot down a U.S. MQ-9 over the Gulf of Oman to disrupt surveillance of the IRGC attack on the M/T Kokuka Courageous. The MQ-9 had arrived minutes earlier at 6:20 a.m. local time at the motor tanker (M/T) Altair and had observed the ship on fire. 

The SA-7 was ineffective and its closest point of approach to the MQ-9 was approximately one kilometer, Centcom said.

Subsequent analysis indicates that this was a likely attempt to shoot down or otherwise disrupt the MQ-9 surveillance of the IRGC attack on the M/T Kokuka Courageous, Centcom said.

Lt. Col. Earl Brown, U.S. Central Command Spokesman