Sanaa, Sept 2026 : Yemen’s Houthi movement has claimed that its forces shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet over Marib province using a locally manufactured missile, releasing video footage that purportedly shows the aircraft being targeted and debris at the reported crash site. The claim has not been independently verified, and Saudi authorities have not confirmed the loss of an F-15.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the fighter was brought down while conducting what he described as hostile operations over Marib. He claimed that Saudi warplanes had carried out more than 450 airstrikes across several Yemeni provinces during the week.
According to Saree, the strikes involved Saudi F-15 and Typhoon fighter jets and targeted areas including Taiz, Lahj, Al-Jawf, Hajjah, Marib, Saada and Al-Bayda. He also claimed that Houthi forces confronted Saudi aircraft that entered Marib while searching for the reported wreckage of the downed fighter.
The Houthis released video footage showing what they said was the interception of the aircraft, followed by images of a large fire and smoke. Subsequent daylight footage purportedly showed damaged aircraft components scattered across desert terrain.
Images released by the group also showed Houthi fighters near the reported wreckage. A damaged tail section bearing what appeared to be Saudi markings was visible in the footage. However, Reuters reported that the exact location and date of the video could not be independently verified, while the extensive damage made immediate identification of the aircraft difficult.
The alleged shoot-down comes amid a renewed escalation between the Houthis and Saudi-backed forces in Yemen. The latest fighting has involved Saudi airstrikes against Houthi positions and retaliatory attacks claimed by the Houthi movement.
The development also follows a dispute over an alleged Houthi drone attack near Mecca. Saudi authorities said their air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of the holy city before it entered restricted airspace. The Houthis denied targeting Mecca and said their operations were directed at Saudi military and oil-related facilities rather than Islamic holy sites.
The latest exchanges highlight the renewed intensity of the Yemen conflict, with Saudi Arabia conducting air operations and the Houthis claiming attacks against Saudi military and strategic targets.
As of Thursday, there was no independent confirmation of the reported F-15 loss from Saudi authorities or other independent sources. The circumstances surrounding the alleged shoot-down therefore remain unverified.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
