Houthis Down Saudi F-15 Amid Intensified Yemen Conflict

Fighting in Yemen intensified this week as Houthi rebels launched an offensive to capture the oil-rich Marib Province and the city of Taiz. During the escalation, the group shot down a Saudi Arabian F-15 Strike Eagle fighter jet over Marib using a locally manufactured surface-to-air missile. Verified footage showed wreckage consistent with the Royal Saudi Air Force's 55th Squadron. In response, the Saudi-led coalition conducted dozens of airstrikes across the provinces of Taiz, Marib, and Hajjah.

The conflict expanded into Saudi territory with Houthi drones and missiles targeting the oil port of Yanbu and the Khamis Mushait airbase. A drone intercepted in Taif killed one Yemeni resident and injured two others, marking the first fatality in Saudi Arabia this month. Saudi authorities also reported destroying a drone near Mecca, describing threats to holy sites as a red line.

Diplomatically, the United States maintained a dual approach, reiterating support for the Yemeni government while holding direct talks with Houthi representatives in Muscat, Oman, to discuss maritime security. President Donald Trump approved a $24 billion sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia but rebuffed requests for direct military support, stating he was weighing whether to annihilate Iran. The regional instability coincided with an attack on Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline in Iraq, which drove Brent crude prices toward $108 a barrel.