Screen grab from a video released by the Saudi Press Agency showing the interception of a Houthi drone on June 19.
On June 20, the Houthis (Ansar Allah) shot down a US drone over the central Yemeni province of Ma’rib, where they have been leading a large-scale offensive against the Saudi-led coalition and its proxies for more than three months now.
Brig. Gen. Yahya Sari, a spokesman for the Yemen group, said that the drone, a Boeing Insitu ScanEagle, was shot down with a ground-to-air missile over the area of al-Mushaj’a in Sirwah district. ScanEagle drones are mainly used for reconnaissance. According to the spokesman, footage of the operation and the drone’s wreckage will be released soon.
“The armed forces affirm that they will spare no effort in carrying out their responsibilities in protecting the Yemeni airspace and confronting all hostilities,” Brig. Gen. Sari said in a statement.
The US drone was shot down amid a major military escalation between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition. A day earlier, the Saudi-led coalition intercepted a total of 17 “booby-trapped” drones launched from Yemen by the Houthis. The coalition shared three videos showing some of the successful interceptions.
#فيديو| قيادة القوات المشتركة للتحالف تعرض لقطات لتدمير وإسقاط الطائرات بدون طيار المفخخة التي أطلقتها الميليشيا الحوثية الإرهابية تجاه المملكة لاستهداف المدنيين والأعيان المدنية.#واس_عام pic.twitter.com/HJEevIJa3p
— واس العام (@SPAregions) June 19, 2021
#فيديو| تظهر اللقطات كفاءة القوات المسلحة السعودية في التعامل مع التهديد الحوثي وتدمير ١١ طائرة بدون طيار لهذا اليوم حتى الآن.#واس_عام pic.twitter.com/Ae5pMMeByd
— واس العام (@SPAregions) June 19, 2021
Sources in Saudi Arabia also shared videos on social media showing what they claimed to be missiles launched by Houthis impacting targets in an unspecified part of the Kingdom.
🔴 SAUDI ARABIA, HOUTHIS, IRAN: AIRBASE HIT BY MISSILE
Iran-backed Houthi missile, sent from Yemen, struck the air base in Al-Arafa, Saudi Arabia.
-Amazon#BreakingNews #Flash #Video#Iran #Houthis #Attack #Missileattack #Taif #AlArafa pic.twitter.com/FZuPmjmlN6— loveworld (@LoveWorld_Peopl) June 19, 2021
Cette nuit était mouvementée en Arabie Saoudite. Attaque de missile balistique des Houthis. pic.twitter.com/FEDcCDMTE4
— Restitutor Orientis (@RestitutorOrien) June 20, 2021
The Houthis are yet to address the recent attacks on Saudi Arabia. The attacks were likely a part of a large-scale operation. Usually, the Yemeni group announces such operations once they are over.
