'Houthis destroy US Reaper drones worth $200 M'

Houthi rebels in Yemen have shot down seven US Reaper drones in less than six weeks, a loss of aircraft worth more than $200 million, in what is becoming the most dramatic cost to the Pentagon of the military campaign against the Iran-backed militants.

- WASHINGTON (AP)

According to defense officials, three of the drones were shot down in the past week, suggesting the militants' targeting of the unmanned aircraft flying over Yemen has improved.

The drones were doing attack runs or conducting surveillance, and they crashed both into the water and onto land, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.