Yemen’s Houthis claimed on Wednesday that they had shot down a Royal Saudi Air Force F-15 fighter jet over Marib province, in what would mark a significant escalation in the renewed fighting between the group and Saudi-backed forces if independently confirmed.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the aircraft was brought down while carrying out what he described as “hostile operations” in support of Saudi military deployments in Marib. He said the group used a locally manufactured missile to hit the aircraft, although reports differed over whether the weapon was described as a surface-to-air or air-to-air missile. The Houthis did not immediately release photographs of wreckage, video of the alleged shootdown or details about the fate of the crew. Saudi Arabia had not confirmed the loss of an F-15 at the time of publication.
The claim comes during a sharp escalation in Yemen, where Saudi and Yemeni government forces have intensified air operations against Houthi positions while the group has expanded attacks on Saudi territory. Saree accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out more than 450 airstrikes in recent days and said Houthi air defences had also forced formations of Saudi F-15 and Typhoon jets to withdraw from the area. Those claims have not been independently verified.
Marib has again become one of the most important fronts in the conflict. The energy-rich province remains under the control of Yemen’s internationally recognised government and has long been a major target for the Houthis. Government forces said earlier this week that Houthi units were massing around Marib following recent territorial gains along Yemen’s western coast, including advances near the strategically important Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The alleged shootdown also came within hours of another dispute between Riyadh and the Houthis. Saudi Arabia said its air defences destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it could enter restricted airspace over the holy city and described the incident as crossing a “red line”. The Houthis denied targeting Mecca and said their operations were directed at Saudi military bases and energy infrastructure rather than religious sites.
Fighting between the two sides has intensified sharply in recent weeks. The Houthis have launched missile and drone attacks against Saudi military facilities, including King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait, while Saudi and Yemeni aircraft have struck Houthi positions across several provinces. The renewed conflict has already displaced more than 100,000 people inside Yemen, according to the United Nations.
If independently confirmed, the destruction of an F-15 would represent one of the Houthis’ most significant air-defence successes against Saudi Arabia in the current phase of fighting. The Royal Saudi Air Force relies heavily on the F-15 for strike and air-superiority missions, and a verified loss would also raise questions about the sophistication of the Houthis’ increasingly capable air-defence arsenal.
For now, however, the claim remains unconfirmed.
