Houthis and Saudi-led coalition claim to have downed each other’s drones; Saada shelled

RIYADH, SANAA, PARIS: The Saudi-led military coalition announced on Friday morning that it had destroyed a drone launched towards eastern Saudi Arabia. Yemen’s Ansarullah (Houthi) movement also claimed that it had shot down a Saudi spy aircraft, the Wing Loong II, over Marib province in central Yemen in the early hours of Friday.

According to international media reports, Ansarullah spokesman Brigadier Yahya Saree said in a statement that the Yemeni armed forces, with God’s help, had shot down an armed Wing Loong II spy aircraft of the Saudi enemy, which was engaged in hostile activity in the airspace of Marib province. He did not say how the drone was brought down, but said a suitable weapon was used in the operation.

Shelling of Saada and attack on Aden

According to the Houthi-affiliated news agency Saba, Saada province in northern Yemen, near the Saudi border, was hit by Saudi artillery shelling.

The announcement came a day after the Houthis claimed responsibility for a missile attack on the presidential palace in the southern Yemeni city of Aden. Yahya Saree said the target of the attack was the centre of Saudi war operations in Aden. He said the operation was part of Ansarullah’s policy of targeting the Saudi military presence.

Allegation against Iran and Saudi position

Raed Qarmali, Saudi Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that, by his assessment, the Houthi attacks at the present stage were being carried out with encouragement from Iran.

In a video briefing, according to a French news agency, he said Tehran continued to provide the Houthis with weapons, training and support, in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

He said Saudi Arabia had tried to find a diplomatic solution with the Houthis and to maintain contact with Iran. However, he said, Tehran was not interested in reaching a solution, while the Houthis also avoided joining reconciliation efforts.

Raed Qarmali said that at the start of the escalation, “we invited them to a meeting in Muscat, but they refused”. He said that was the last contact with them, a few weeks ago.

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Elkhereiji, while meeting European and African ambassadors in Riyadh, said that Houthi attacks on Saudi civilian, economic and aviation facilities with ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones amounted to war crimes.

He said Saudi Arabia would show no leniency in protecting its citizens, resident foreigners and pilgrims, and would continue to support the internationally recognised Yemeni government.

France’s step

French Foreign Ministry spokesman Pascal Confavreux announced that France had begun practical steps under an agreement to help protect Saudi oil facilities. He did not give further details.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced last month that France would deploy troops and defence systems in the kingdom to help defend the Saudi city of Yanbu on the Red Sea coast. Yanbu is considered an important hub for energy exports.

All claims made by the parties about these recent events and attacks could not be independently verified.