Yemeni forces target Houthis and a Saudi base as US rules out direct role

Huthi rebels have released a video purportedly showing a Saudi F-15 fighter jet they claim to have downed, as their lightning advance in Yemen continues to strain global energy supplies. According to a statement from the rebels, the advanced US-designed jet was brought down using a domestically produced surface-to-air missile while it was engaged in hostile operations over Marib Governorate in west-central Yemen.

The video shows an electronic image of a missile hitting what appears to be a fighter jet, followed by Huthi fighters examining the wreckage in a desert environment. One individual raises what appears to be a tailfin of an aircraft, displaying a Saudi flag insignia and the identification number 5539. However, CNN has been unable to independently verify or pinpoint the location of the footage, and the Saudi Arabian government has not officially commented on the Huthi claims.

CNN has reached out to both Saudi and US authorities for response. A military analyst from CNN, Cedric Leighton, a retired US Air Force colonel, stated that the markings on the tail of the downed F-15SA in the video align with those of Saudi Arabian F-15 aircraft. This alleged downing of an F-15 coincides with a broader regional escalation of tensions between Iran and the United States, including recent developments in Yemen, a country already ravaged by civil war.

The Huthis have intensified their attacks against Yemen's Saudi-backed government and have expanded their territorial control. Recently, they captured a Red Sea port city and an island near a crucial waterway that has served as a backup to the Strait of Hormuz, facilitating the export of Saudi oil and refined products. They have also increased their strikes on Saudi Arabia, prompting the latter to retaliate with its own attacks.

There are growing concerns that Saudi Arabia may become entangled in a wider conflict as the US-Iran war persists. Should the claim be verified, this would be the second time a US-built F-15 has been shot down by hostile fire. The previous incident involved an US Air Force F-15 Strike Eagle, which was taken down by Iranian forces early in the war, leading to a US rescue operation that resulted in the destruction of several US aircraft.

Additionally, three F-15s were downed by Kuwaiti friendly fire during the early stages of the Iran conflict. The Saudi F-15SA is one of the latest models of the twin-engine jet, which has been part of the US Air Force's inventory since 1976. The Saudi version is based on the F-15E Strike Eagle, a workhorse of US air power since its combat introduction during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

Saudi Arabia placed its final order for the Boeing jets in December 2020, according to a US Air Force press release.