Sanaa, September 16 (Daily Kiran) : Houthi rebels in Yemen have claimed responsibility for shooting down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet on Wednesday. This assertion comes amid a surge in airstrikes, with the Houthis alleging that Saudi forces have conducted over 450 attacks on various districts in recent days.
Yahya Saree, a spokesperson for the Houthi military, stated that the fighter jet was downed over the Marib province. He indicated that the aircraft was targeted using a locally manufactured surface-to-air missile. Saree noted, “The fighter was conducting aggressive actions in the airspace of Marib province.”
There was no immediate response from the Saudi-led coalition regarding this incident. Local sources informed Al Jazeera that the jet was brought down near Mount Helen, located northwest of Marib.
Saree further reported that Saudi fighter jets have been active this week, targeting areas including Taiz, Lahij, Al-Jawf, Hajjah, Marib, Saada, and Al-Bayda, resulting in significant civilian casualties.
He emphasized that the armed group will continue to defend its airspace and sovereignty against any attacks or violations using all available means.
Earlier on Wednesday, Saudi Arabia‘s Civil Defense issued an emergency alert for potential airstrikes near Mecca, advising residents to stay indoors and keep away from windows and doors until the threat subsided. The recent days have seen a marked increase in conflict between Saudi forces and Houthi rebels.
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