Houthis Claim Saudi F-15 Fighter Jet Shot Down Over Yemen’s Marib
SANAA, YEMEN — WEB DESK: Yemen’s Houthis said on Wednesday that their forces had shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet over Marib province, claiming they used a locally manufactured missile to target the aircraft as fighting between the group and Saudi-backed forces intensifies.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree announced the claimed downing, saying the Saudi aircraft had been conducting what he described as hostile operations in support of military movements in Marib.
Saree said Houthi forces targeted the F-15 using a locally made air-to-air missile.
However, Saudi Arabia had not confirmed the loss of an F-15 in the available reporting at the time of publication. The claim should therefore be treated as an unverified battlefield assertion rather than an independently established aircraft loss.
Houthis Accuse Saudi Arabia of 450 Strikes
Saree also accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out approximately 450 strikes amid the latest escalation in Yemen. The figure is a Houthi claim and has not been independently verified.
The Saudi military has been conducting an intensified campaign as Houthi forces make advances against forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
Reuters reported Wednesday that Saudi forces have been carrying out heavy strikes in Yemen as the Houthis consolidate territorial gains in the latest phase of the conflict.
Marib remains strategically important because of its energy resources and its position in the conflict between the Houthis and forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
The province hosts oil and gas infrastructure and has repeatedly been a major battleground during Yemen’s prolonged war.
Houthis Say Saudi Aircraft Formations Forced Back
In addition to claiming the F-15 downing, the Houthis said their forces had engaged Saudi F-15 and Typhoon fighter formations operating over Marib with locally manufactured missiles.
The group claimed the aircraft were forced to withdraw from the area.
There was no immediate independent confirmation that Saudi formations had been forced to retreat.
If independently verified, the loss of a Saudi F-15 would represent a notable development because the aircraft is one of the kingdom’s principal combat platforms.
At present, however, neither physical evidence independently authenticated by major news organisations nor an official Saudi acknowledgement establishes that an aircraft was destroyed.
Claim Comes Amid Makkah Dispute
The Houthi announcement came amid a separate dispute between Saudi Arabia and the group over an alleged drone attack near Makkah.
Saudi Arabia said its air defences intercepted a drone south of Makkah before it reached restricted airspace and attributed the aircraft to the Houthis. The incident drew condemnation from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and several governments.
The Houthis deny targeting Makkah.
Saree reiterated that denial while announcing the claimed F-15 downing, saying the group’s operations were directed against Saudi oil facilities and military bases, not Islamic holy sites.
Saudi Arabia and the Houthis therefore continue to present conflicting accounts of recent operations, making careful attribution particularly important.
Fighting Intensifies Across Yemen
The latest developments come amid renewed fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces.
The Houthis have also declared a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia and targeted shipping in the Red Sea, according to AFP reporting.
Reuters reported that the Houthis have recently made significant territorial gains along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and around the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Bab el-Mandeb connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is a major shipping chokepoint for global trade and energy supplies.
Its importance has increased further as disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz constrain another critical route for Gulf oil exports.
The renewed Yemen fighting has therefore become intertwined with the broader Middle East conflict and mounting pressure on regional energy and maritime routes.
For now, the central development remains a Houthi claim: the group says it destroyed a Saudi F-15 over Marib, but Saudi authorities have not publicly confirmed the aircraft loss and independent verification remains unavailable.
