SANAA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi group said on Wednesday that it had shot down a Saudi-operated drone over the northern province of Saada, the group's main stronghold.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea identified it as a Turkish-made Karyal reconnaissance drone, which was brought down on Wednesday morning while "conducting hostile operations" over Saada province.
On Sunday, the group said it had shot down a Saudi-operated Turkish-made Bayraktar Akinci armed reconnaissance drone over the northern province of Al-Jawf.
A sharp escalation began last week when the Houthi group imposed a maritime ban on Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea, saying the move was a response to what it described as a blockade on areas under its control. The two sides have exchanged a series of military strikes since then.
Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene the following year in support of the Yemeni government. ■
