Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed to have shot down a Turkish-made “cutting-edge” Bayraktar Akıncı drone operated by Saudi Arabia over the northern Al-Jawf region.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group’s forces downed the drone with “an appropriate weapon” while it was carrying out “hostile operations” in Yemeni airspace.
Media affiliated with the Iran-aligned group later published images of burning wreckage that appeared consistent with an Akıncı, including what they identified as a Saudi tail number. Saudi Arabia has not commented on the claim, which could not be independently verified.
If confirmed, it would mark the first reported loss of an Akıncı — a high-altitude, long-endurance armed reconnaissance drone manufactured by Turkey’s Baykar — in Yemen.
The announcement came a day after the Houthis said they had launched missile and drone strikes on Saudi energy facilities in the Jazan and Yanbu regions, in what they described as retaliation for Saudi-led airstrikes on Houthi targets.
It was the second time this month the group has claimed to have brought down a Saudi-operated drone.
On July 14, Saree said Houthi forces had shot down a Chinese-made Wing Loong II UAV over Al-Bayda governorate in central Yemen, though no supporting evidence was released at the time.
Earlier, as EurAsian Times reported, Iran reportedly downed a Wing Loong II drone, operated either by Saudi Arabia or the UAE.
During a closer examination of the wreckage, several prominent OSINT analysts identified it as Wing Loong II based on wing-root geometry, fuselage shape, and other structural features that match the Chinese drone.
Notably, the Wing Loong is also operated by Iran’s neighbor, Pakistan.
Meanwhile, the Saudi defense ministry said it thwarted various drones fired by pro-Iran groups in Iraq.
The latest attacks come during a lull in the fighting since Saturday, following 13 days of exchanges of fire between the US and Iran.
The Saudi defense ministry said “terrorist attempts were launched from Iraqi territory and carried out by Iranian-backed terrorist militias”, according to an official statement posted on social media.
The ministry said the drones targeted petroleum facilities in areas in the country’s east and the capital Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia pressed Iraq to “take all necessary measures to ensure the prevention of the use of its territory as a launching point” for attacks, according to a separate statement posted by an official Saudi broadcaster.
Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations had accused pro-Iran militias in Iraq of launching waves of attacks targeting their territory during the earlier phase of the conflict.
Riyadh and Yemen’s Houthi rebels have also traded strikes in recent days, with the Houthis declaring a naval blockade on the kingdom’s ports. On Monday, the Houthis said they fired drones on Saudi oil infrastructure in response to incursions by the kingdom’s drones.
Riyadh had yet to comment on the Houthis’ claims.
With AFP Inputs
