Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree says forces brought down Saudi warplane over Marib province; denies Saudi reports of drone attack aimed at Mecca
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed Wednesday that Houthi forces shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet over Yemen's Marib province. Saudi Arabia has not confirmed the claim.
According to Saree, the downed aircraft "was carrying out hostile operations in airspace northeast of Sanaa." He also rejected Saudi accusations that the Houthis had attacked Mecca, insisting that "our operations target oil facilities and military bases far from holy sites."
Overnight, the Saudi-led military coalition announced that Saudi air defense systems had intercepted a Houthi drone headed toward the city of Mecca. Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said the drone was detected Tuesday at 6:50 p.m. and destroyed before it could penetrate the airspace over the city, home to the Grand Mosque and the Kaaba — Islam's central pilgrimage site.
Saudi officials responded with particular severity to the choice of target. "This is an act directed against a religious site and spiritual center for millions of Muslims around the world," the coalition stated. They added that "this act will be remembered as a black stain in the history of the Houthis, and constitutes a deliberate attempt to provoke the feelings of millions of Muslims."
Join our newsletter to receive updates on new articles and exclusive content.
We respect your privacy and will never share your information.
