Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a statement on social media platform X that the Saudi F-15 was conducting a military operation in the airspace over Marib when Houthi forces attacked it.

Footage released by the Houthi military media platform purportedly shows the burned wreckage of an aircraft scattered across a desert area. Large sections of the aircraft can be seen on the ground, with fires visible in some parts of the debris. The Houthis said the wreckage also included a section of the aircraft’s tail bearing the Saudi Arabian flag and Arabic markings.

The Houthis have also alleged that Saudi Arabia carried out more than 450 airstrikes in different parts of Yemen over the past week. According to the organization, F-15 and Typhoon fighter jets were used in the attacks and operated from Khamis Mushait and Taif airbases.

The Houthis said the aircraft targeted several Yemeni provinces, including Taiz, Lahj, Al-Jawf, Hajjah, Marib, Saada and Al-Bayda. They also alleged that civilians were killed and injured in the airstrikes. These claims have not been independently verified.

The Houthis further claimed that two groups of Saudi F-15 and Typhoon fighter jets arrived over Marib after the reported F-15 crash, allegedly to search for the aircraft’s wreckage. The organization said its forces attacked the aircraft with locally made missiles, forcing the Saudi jets to withdraw from the area.

مشاهد نوعية لإسقاط طائرة مقاتلة سعودية من نوع F15 وحطامها في محافظة مأرب - 16 سبتمبر 2026م pic.twitter.com/rk0suliePT

— الإعلام الحربي اليمني (@MMY1444) September 16, 2026

Several hours later, the Houthis issued another statement claiming that they had also shot down a Saudi Arabian Wing Loong-2 armed drone over Marib.

Tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi rebels have risen again in recent days. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the organization had carried out drone and missile attacks on several Saudi targets, including the Yanbu oil port on the Red Sea coast and Khamis Mushait airbase.

Tensions escalated further after Saudi Arabia claimed it had shot down a Houthi drone south of Mecca. According to Saudi officials, the drone was intercepted and destroyed before it could enter Mecca’s restricted airspace. Riyadh described the incident as serious and said it represented an action that crossed a “red line.”

The Houthis denied targeting Mecca and accused Saudi Arabia of using the incident for propaganda.

Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition against the Houthis in Yemen since 2015. The conflict between the two sides had eased in recent years, but violence has increased again in recent days, with competing claims over airstrikes, drone attacks and the reported loss of military aircraft.