• Source:JND
HighLights
  1. Houthis claim shooting down Saudi F-15 jet over Marib.
  2. Video released shows alleged aircraft hit and burning wreckage.
  3. Conflict escalates with renewed fighting and regional tensions.

Saudi-Houthi Conflict: Yemen’s Houthi rebels have released a video claiming that their forces shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet over Marib province. The footage shows what the group says is the aircraft being hit on Wednesday, followed by images of burning wreckage spread across the desert. The incident comes amid a fresh rise in fighting between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia.

Houthis Claim Saudi F-15 Was Shot Down

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the aircraft was brought down using a missile produced locally in Yemen. According to the Houthis, the Saudi fighter was carrying out operations over Marib when it was targeted. He also accused Saudi Arabia of conducting hundreds of strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen. The claims have not been independently verified.

The claim that the fighter jet was shot down by locally produced missiles has come as a shock for many defence experts. This is because the F-15 Eagle is a top-tier, twin-engine tactical fighter engineered for air superiority. Taking down a multi-million dollar fourth-generation fighter jet is usually an extremely difficult task for any state military. However, a similar case of the jet downing had come to light in April, when US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over Iran during military operations.

This also indicates the Houthis' growing capacity to protect their ground forces, allowing them to continue attacking vital oil pipelines and international shipping lanes in the Red Sea and posing them as a massive threat in the region.

Video Released

The nearly four-minute video begins with a clip that the Houthis say captures the moment their forces targeted the Saudi fighter jet. The video then switches to nighttime images showing flames and heavy smoke rising from the crash site. Later, daylight footage shows pieces of aircraft debris scattered across rocky ground. One large piece of wreckage appears to be a vertical tail stabiliser carrying markings that the Houthis say indicate it belonged to a Saudi aircraft.

ALSO READ: Saudi Arabia Issues Red Line Warning After Drone Destroyed Near Mecca, Houthis Reject Attack Claim

Saudi-Houthi Conflict Escalates

The jet incident comes as tensions between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia have risen again after years of relative calm. Saudi Arabia's coalition said on Wednesday that its air-defence forces intercepted a drone launched by the Houthis before it could enter restricted airspace near the holy site of Mecca. The attack was described as a serious security threat and said the protection of Mecca and Muslim pilgrims was a red line for Saudi Arabia.

Houthis rejected the accusation and denied that they had targeted Mecca. However, they claimed responsibility for attacks against an Aramco facility in Yanbu and the Khamis Mushait air base in southern Saudi Arabia. The group said the attacks were carried out in response to Saudi air operations in Yemen. The renewed fighting has led to growing fears that it could become another significant flashpoint in the ongoing Middle East conflict.

As per reports, the Houthis have already expanded their presence along Yemen’s Red Sea coastline and threatened Saudi energy infrastructure and the Bab el-Mandeb waterway. In response, Riyadh has responded with air strikes against Houthi positions. This means that the fighting is no longer limited to areas inside Yemen. Any disruption in Bab el-Mandeb, a maritime chokepoint connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden can affect shipping and energy flow. The concern is growing as the Strait of Hormuz is also facing disruption due to the war between the United States and Iran.

ALSO READ: From 'Pakistan Stands With Saudi' To 'Details Are Classified': Islamabad's Changing Position On Mecca Defence Pact

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