Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said they downed a US MQ9 drone on Thursday evening over the southeastern province of Maareb, the group's military spokesman said on Friday.

The Houthis said that they had targeted the drone using a locally made surface to air missile.

The US military has not issued any statement confirming or denying the Houthi claim at the time of this publication. In February, another US military drone crashed in Yemen, that later officials said it appeared to have been shot down.

Houthis are armed with Iranian weaponry, including anti-air missiles. Some observers claimed on social media that on Thursday Houthis used an Iranian model 358 anti-drone missile.

The United States and Britain have targeted Houthi military installations numerous times in recent month, after the Iranian backed group began targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea from mid-November.