Houthis Claim They Downed Saudi Akinci Drone Over Yemen

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis claimed they shot down a Saudi-operated, Turkish-made Bayraktar Akinci armed reconnaissance drone over Al-Jawf province. Military spokesman Yahya Saree said the aircraft was conducting what he called hostile operations and was brought down with an unspecified weapon. Saudi authorities had not commented, and the claim could not be independently verified. The announcement followed a day of renewed Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities, while fighting between Saudi forces and the Iran-backed group has intensified since their 2022 truce unraveled.