Another US MQ-9 Reaper drone has gone down in Yemen as the Houthi rebels continue attacks on shipping in the Red Sea over Israel’s war on Gaza.

The Houthis downed the American drone in Yemen’s southeastern province of Maareb, the group’s military spokesman Yahya Sarea said in a televised speech.

It’s the third such unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) downed in Yemen this month. Sarea said the drone “is the sixth UAV that has been shot down so far”.

Images published online and analyzed by The Associated Press showed the MQ-9 on its belly in the desert, its tail assembly disconnected from their rest of its body.

At least one hatch on the drone appeared to have been opened after it landed there although the drone remained broadly intact without any clear blast damage. 

One image included Wednesday’s date. The drone did not appear to carry any markings on it.