Yemeni Houthis Call Alleged Drone Attack Attempt on Makkah a Slander and Lie
Mian Nadeem
Published September 16, 2026 | 05:30 PM
The Houthi group and its military spokesperson have rejected Saudi Arabia's claim of a drone attack attempt on Makkah, labeling it a slander and a lie. They affirmed that Yemen poses no threat to Islamic holy sites.
In a joint statement, Mohammed Abdulsalam, head of Yemen's negotiating delegation and Houthi movement spokesperson, and Brigadier General Yahya Saree, armed forces spokesperson, clarified that Yemen's operations are limited to oil facilities and military bases, with no harm intended towards holy sites.
They emphasized Yemen's right to defend its airspace and sovereignty against any aggression, stating: "We will defend our skies and sovereignty by all available means against any aggression or violation, and Yemen’s skies will not be violated."
The Yemeni forces claimed to have shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet with a locally produced surface-to-air missile over Marib province. They also alleged that the Saudi aircraft was conducting espionage operations for the United States and Israel.
Additionally, they reported shooting down Saudi F-15 and Typhoon fighter jets over Marib during an operation to recover the wreckage.
Mohammed Abdulsalam described the downing of the Saudi F-15 as a significant blow to Saudi Arabia and evidence of Yemen's growing air defense capabilities. He accused Riyadh of waging aggression against Yemen, noting that the destruction of the fighter jet in Yemeni airspace exposed their lies.
The statement highlighted the detention of two Saudi pilots in Sanaa for an extended period. It also accused Saudi warplanes of carrying out over 450 airstrikes in various Yemeni provinces, causing casualties.
Yemeni officials extended an invitation to Muslim countries to support an independent and transparent investigation into Saudi Arabia's claim, assuring full cooperation.