Yemen's Houthis Claim They Shot Down Saudi F15 Fighter Jet

SANAA: Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed on Wednesday that they shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet while it was engaged in hostile operations in support of its military mobilizations in Marib province. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree stated on social media that the Yemeni Armed Forces, aided by Allah's grace, succeeded in shooting down the Saudi warplane using a locally made air-to-air missile.

Saree accused Saudi Arabia of launching 450 strikes and dismissed reports that the Houthis had targeted the holy city of Mecca during the week. The spokesman also announced that the Houthis had reached a strategic island at the mouth of a vital shipping lane. The Houthi operations primarily focus on the group's targets of oil facilities and military bases, which are far from any sacred sites.

Since Yemen's civil war reignited in July, the Houthis have been engaged in renewed fighting with Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces. Additionally, the group has declared a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia and has been targeting its ships in the Red Sea. Recently, the Houthis seized control of the entirety of Yemen's Red Sea coast and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which has become critical to Saudi crude exports as the broader Middle East conflict chokes the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf.