Illustrative image. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Airman 1st Class Michael Sanders)
The Houthis (Ansar Allah) announced on October 15 that their air defenses had hit a Saudi Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet over the Yemeni province of Saada.
In a statement, Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said that the warplane had taken off from Taif Air Base in western Saudi Arabia before being engaged over northern Yemen.
“It was directly hit and is at risk of crashing,” Saree added.
The reported engagement follows the Houthis’ September 16 downing of a Saudi F-15SA fighter jet over the central province of Marib. At the time, the group said it used a locally made surface-to-air missile, without elaborating. Saudi Arabia is yet to acknowledge the loss. The fate of the pilot and the weapons system officer also remain unknown.
The fighter incidents have come alongside four Houthi-reported shootdowns of combat drones this month so far. On October 5, the group said it downed a Chinese-made Wing Loong II over the southwestern province of Taiz.
Two days later, it announced the destruction of a CH-4 over the northern province of Al-Jawf, followed by a Turkish-made Bayraktar Akinci over Taiz on October 8. On October 13, Houthi forces reported another Wing Loong II shootdown over Saada.
The Houthis possess fairly capable air defenses, ranging from man-portable systems to interceptors and medium-range anti-aircraft missiles.
The recent engagements indicate the group’s air defense capabilities are growing, which would further complicate Saudi aerial operations over Yemen.
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