Iran-backed Houthi rebels shoot down US MQ-9 Reaper drone off Yemeni coast

Yemen's Houthi rebels have shot down a US military drone off the Yemeni coast, according to US officials and the Houthi movement. This incident comes as the US is on high alert for activity by Iran-backed groups in the Middle East amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. The US has deployed military assets to the region, including troops stationed in the Red Sea. The Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, have been engaged in a civil war with Yemen's official government, supported by Saudi Arabia, since 2014. In addition, the US has conducted strikes against a facility in eastern Syria used by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and affiliated groups.