Illustrative image, source: the Houthis media wing.
On October 6, the Houthis (Ansar Allah) announced that their air-defenses had shot down a Chinese-made Rainbow CH-4 combat drone of the Saudi-led coalition over the central Yemeni province of Ma’rib.
Brig. Gen. Yahya Sari, a spokesman for the Yemeni group, said in a statement hat the drone was conducting “hostile acts” when it was shot down with a “ground-to-air” missile over the district of al-Jubah.
The CH-4 drone was developed by the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics to carry out reconnaissance and combat missions. The Saudi military purchased an unknown number of the drone a few years ago.
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This was the fourth Saudi CH-4 combat drone to be shot down by the Houthis this year. The first drone was shot down over the district of Meghdal in Ma’rib on February 12. The second one was shot down over an unspecified part of Ma’rib on March 23. The third was shot down over the district of Al-Maraziq in the northern province of al-Jawf on May 23.
The Houthis have been leading an offensive to capture Ma’rib city and nearby oil fields from Saudi-backed forces for more than seven months now.
In the last few weeks, the Yemeni group and its allies captured key areas in al-Jubah, which borders Ma’rib city from the south, despite sustain some serious losses.
