A US official said an MQ9 drone was shot down off the Yemeni coast by Houthi forces.
This was confirmed by a Houthi military spokesman.
It comes as Washington is on alert for activity by Iran-backed groups in the Middle East as its close ally Israel – Iran’s main adversary – battles Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Last month, a US navy warship intercepted cruise missiles and several drones launched by the Houthis from Yemen towards Israel.
The US has moved military assets, including aircraft carriers, Marines and support ships, to the Middle East in the wake of regional tensions surrounding the Israel-Gaza war.
Source : BBC