ADEN, Yemen, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi group claimed Tuesday it had shot down a Saudi-operated Wing Loong II reconnaissance drone over the central Yemeni province of Al-Bayda.
In a statement posted on X, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the drone was downed while carrying out "missions" over the province.
There was no immediate comment from Saudi authorities, and the Houthi claim could not be independently verified.
The claim follows heightened tensions between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia.
Houthi-controlled Sanaa International Airport was hit by airstrikes on Monday. Yemen's internationally recognized government claimed the attack, saying it was aimed at barring an Iranian flight carrying a Houthi delegation from landing in the capital city. The Houthi group accused Saudi Arabia, a main ally of Yemen's government, of carrying out the strikes.
Later on Monday, the Houthi group said it launched ballistic missiles and drones at Abha International Airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized control of Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene the following year in support of the Yemeni government.
Although a UN-mediated truce expired in 2022, the two sides have largely maintained a fragile de facto ceasefire despite intermittent clashes. ■
