Yemen's Houthi rebels announced Saturday that its air defenses have successfully downed a U.S. MQ-9 drone which was conducting "hostile missions" over central Yemen's al-Bayda province.

In a statement released on Saturday, the Yemen's Houthis announced that air defenses used a domestically-made surface-to-air missile to target the unmanned aerial vehicle.

The MQ-9 Reaper drone was the 13th of its kind destroyed by the rebels forces since they launched a pro-Palestine campaign, the statement added.

Reapers, which cost around $30 million apiece, can fly at altitudes up to 50,000 feet (15,240 meters) and have an endurance of up to 24 hours before needing to land.

Additionally in their statement, the Houthi rebels reaffirmed their resilience against "all enemy plots aimed at undermining the country’s sovereignty".

Houthis have declared their open support for Palestine’s struggle against the Israeli occupation since the regime launched its brutal Gaza onslaught on October 7, 2023, killing almost 45,500 Palestinians to date.