Houthis claim they shot down Saudi F-15 fighter jet over Marib

• Houthis say ‘locally made surface-to-air missile’ brought down Saudi fighter jet.

Yemen's Houthi movement says it has shot down a Saudi Arabian F-15 fighter jet over Marib governorate, the latest claimed military success in an escalating conflict between the two sides.

The claim came from Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree, who said Yemeni forces used a domestically produced weapon to bring down the aircraft.

"In the face of this brutal aggression against our country and people, the Yemeni armed forces, with God's help and grace, were able to shoot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet while it was conducting hostile operations in support of its military buildup in the airspace of Marib governorate," Saree said in a statement.

He said the jet was downed using a "locally manufactured surface-to-air missile."

There has been no confirmation from Saudi authorities, and no comment was immediately available from the Saudi-led coalition.

If confirmed, the incident would mark a significant escalation in a conflict that has intensified sharply in recent weeks, following the collapse of a truce that had largely held since 2022. 

Saudi Arabia has carried out waves of airstrikes across Houthi-held territory, including Marib, using F-15 and Typhoon jets flown from bases at Khamis Mushait and Taif, while the Houthis have responded with missile, drone and now claimed air-defense operations against Saudi aircraft.

The Houthis have made similar claims before, including reports of forcing Saudi jets to retreat from Yemeni airspace.

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