Houthis claim to have shot down a Saudi F-15 – Riyadh remains silent for now

Yemen's Houthis claim to have shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet in the Ma'rib province. Riyadh has not confirmed the information. Amid the escalation, the Saudi coalition intercepted a drone near Mecca and threatened retaliatory measures. Fighting has intensified after a period of relative calm.

Yemen's Houthis claimed that their air defense forces shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet in the airspace of the Ma'rib province in northeastern Yemen. The statement was made by Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sari. Saudi Arabia has not yet confirmed this information, and no independent data on the destruction of the aircraft has been published. The statement came amid a sharp escalation of the conflict. The Saudi coalition reported intercepting a drone south of Mecca around 6:50 PM. Coalition spokesman General Turki al-Maliki called the incident a hostile and terrorist attempt and warned of possible deterrent measures. The Houthis denied accusations of intending to attack Mecca, stating that their targets are military bases and energy infrastructure. On Monday, according to Saudi authorities, strikes on the areas of Khamis Mushait, Abha, and Taif injured 13 civilians, damaged seven homes, and two vehicles. Heightened security measures have been implemented in Mecca, Jeddah, Jizan, and other areas. Fighting has also intensified within Yemen itself: government forces are conducting operations in the areas of Mokha, Dubab, Khokha, and Taiz to regain control of the Red Sea coast and the strategic Bab el-Mandeb strait. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held talks in Egypt with President al-Sisi, discussing the implications of the escalation for security and transport routes in the Red Sea.