SANAA — Yemen’s Houthi movement has claimed that its forces shot down a Turkish-made Bayraktar Akinci drone operated by Saudi Arabia in Taiz province.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the drone was carrying out what he described as a hostile mission in Taiz. He claimed Houthi forces targeted and destroyed it using appropriate weapons.
The claim has not been independently verified.
Houthis Claim Missile Attacks Near Bab el-Mandeb
Saree also claimed that Houthi forces launched ballistic missiles at Saudi-backed forces and their gatherings near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The strategic waterway has become a major focus of the renewed fighting in Yemen. Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces have launched operations to regain territory along the Red Sea coast and near Bab el-Mandeb.
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The Houthis have also claimed another missile attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Reuters reported on Thursday that the group claimed responsibility for a ballistic missile attack on the airport, although Saudi authorities had not immediately confirmed the latest claim.
The latest claim follows deadly attacks on King Khalid and Abha airports earlier this week.
Saudi civil aviation authorities said the attacks killed three people and injured 36 others. A Sudanese national was killed at King Khalid Airport, where eight people were injured. Two women, a Moroccan and an Algerian, were killed at Abha Airport, where 28 people were injured.
A Pakistani national was among those injured in the Riyadh airport attack, according to Saudi authorities.
Saudi-Led Coalition Strikes Houthi Targets
In response to the attacks, the Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government said it had destroyed 82 Houthi military targets across several Yemeni provinces.
Coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Malki said the operation targeted Houthi positions in Saada, Al-Hudaydah, Al-Jawf and Marib.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, the targets included 11 ballistic missile storage facilities in mountainous areas of Saada.
The coalition also said it struck command and control centers, communications systems, missile and weapons depots, and Houthi gathering sites.
Al-Malki said attacks targeting Saudi civilians, civilian facilities and airports would not go unanswered. He said the coalition would continue supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
The latest coalition strikes followed Houthi attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Abha International Airport. Saudi officials said a ballistic missile launched toward Riyadh was also intercepted.
Fighting Intensifies Around Taiz and Bab el-Mandeb
The latest escalation comes as fighting intensifies across southwestern Yemen.
Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces have been advancing toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the coastal areas near Mocha. The renewed fighting has also spread around Taiz, where Houthi forces have sought to strengthen their positions.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait remains strategically important because it links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and serves as a major route for international shipping.
The latest exchange of attacks marks a sharp escalation after years of relative calm following the 2022 UN-backed truce. The renewed conflict is now placing greater pressure on Saudi Arabia, Yemen’s internationally recognized government and regional shipping routes.
