Yemen, Houthis: “We have shot down a Saudi fighter jet”

Turin, 16 Sept. (LaPresse) – The Houthis have claimed to have shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet over the Marib governorate in Yemen. “In the face of this brutal aggression against our country and our people, the Yemeni armed forces have succeeded in shooting down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet whilst it was conducting hostile operations in support of its military build-up in the airspace of the Marib governorate,” said military spokesperson Yahya Saree in a statement quoted by Al Jazeera. “The aircraft was shot down using a locally manufactured surface-to-air missile,” he added. The spokesperson went on to say that, over the course of this week, Saudi warplanes had carried out more than 450 air strikes against Taiz, Lahj, al-Jawf, Hajjah, Marib, Saada and al-Bayda. According to Saree, civilian casualties were also reported. The Yemeni armed forces will continue “to protect our country’s airspace and sovereignty from any aggression or violation, using all means at their disposal”, he concluded.