Houthis claim Saudi F-15 jet shot down hours after Mecca drone interception

The Houthi military spokesman, Yahya Saree, has asserted that his forces brought down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet in Yemen's Marib Governorate using a surface-to-air missile produced locally. This claim emerged following Saudi Arabia's own allegation of downing an Houthi drone near Mecca. The incident has prompted widespread alarm in Saudi Arabia.

Saree emphasized that the Houthis denied any attack, particularly one aimed at Islamic holy sites. According to him, Saudi F-15 and Typhoon fighter jets had conducted more than 450 airstrikes that week, taking off from bases in Khamis Mushait and Taif. These strikes reportedly targeted Taiz, Lahij, Al-Jawf, Hajjah, Marib, Saada, Al-Bayda, and other regions, leading to the death of civilians.

Moreover, Saree reported that Houthi forces encountered formations of Saudi F-15 and Typhoon aircraft over Marib while searching for the wreckage of the downed jet. This confrontation forced the Saudi jets to retreat. This is an ongoing story, and readers are advised to check back for further updates.