Tel Aviv: The US has been using different special weapon systems in the ongoing campaign against Iran. According to yet unconfirmed data, one of these systems is the unarmed missile dubbed Ninja. A US MQ-9 Reaper was reportedly shot down over Yemen by Houthi forces, and circulating debris images were said to include fragments resembling AGM-114R9X “Ninja” Hellfire components. Public reports on May 17–18 said the loss was not yet fully confirmed by US Central Command.
The core claim is that the Houthis downed an MQ-9 Reaper over Marib or western Yemen, depending on the report. Some coverage also says wreckage may show parts associated with the R9X “Ninja missile”, a blade-equipped Hellfire variant used for precision strikes. Some images allegedly from the crash site show debris that are claimed to be of this special weapon.
The US Ninja missile is the AGM-114R9X Hellfire, a secretive modified version of the standard Hellfire missile that uses six pop-out blades instead of an explosive warhead to kill targets. The six sword-like blades deploy milliseconds before impact, slicing through the target without explosives. This missile is designed to minimise collateral damage by killing only the intended target without blast effects. The missile is launched from aerial platforms like the MQ-9 Reaper.
The missile is called Ninja because it eliminates targets silently and precisely without leaving explosive debris, making it harder to trace back to US operations. The Pentagon and CIA have never officially acknowledged its existence, though its use was confirmed through investigative reporting and visual evidence from strike sites.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
