Illustrative image.
The Houthis (Ansar Allah) in Yemen announced on July 26 that they had shot down an Akıncı combat drone belonging to the Saudi military.
In a brief statement, Houthi spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the drone was shot down by the group with a “suitable weapon” while it was conducting “hostile actions” over the northern province of al-Jawf.
“The Armed Forces affirm that they will confront any attempt to violate the country’s sovereignty, and that they possess the capabilities and resources to do so, by the grace of God,” he added.
The Akıncı is produced by Turkey’s drone giant Baykar. It has an operational range of 7,500 kilometers, an endurance of 25 hours, and a service ceiling of over 12 kilometers. The drone, which costs around $30 million, was developed to carry out strategic missions, including reconnaissance, surveillance, and precision strikes.
In 2023, Saudi Arabia signed a $3 billion deal with Baykar — the largest defense export contract in Turkey’s history — to purchase an undisclosed number of Akıncı drones.
This was the first time the Houthis have managed to shoot down an Akıncı, and interestingly, the drone was targeted amid clashes between the group and tribes believed to be backed by Saudi Arabia in al-Jawf.
Tensions have been mounting in Yemen since the Houthis said on July 20 that they were imposing a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia in response to its siege on Yemen. Three days later, the group fired on two Saudi oil tankers, setting one ablaze. And overnight into July 25, the two sides exchanged strikes, with the Houthis hitting a large refinery in the southern Saudi province of Jizan.
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