Houthis Claim Downed Saudi Fighter Jet as Yemen Conflict Escalates

Houthi rebels in Yemen have released a video claiming to show a Saudi F-15 fighter jet shot down by a locally manufactured surface-to-air missile. The incident coincides with a wider regional escalation of the war between Iran and the United States, including rapid recent developments in Yemen.

The Houthi statement claims that the US-built F-15SA was conducting hostile operations over Marib Governate in west-central Yemen when it was downed. According to CNN military analyst Cedric Leighton, a retired US Air Force colonel, the markings on the tail of the downed jet are 'consistent' with Saudi Arabian F-15 aircraft.

The alleged downing marks only the second time one of the US-built F-15s has been shot down by hostile fire. The previous incident occurred earlier in the war when a US Air Force F-15 Strike Eagle was shot down by Iranian forces, leading to a US rescue operation that eventually recovered the crew.

The Houthis have recently stepped up their fighting against Yemen's Saudi-backed government and have expanded their area of control. Last week, they captured a Red Sea port city in Yemen and an island near an important waterway that has acted as a backup to the Strait of Hormuz, allowing for the export of Saudi oil and refined products.

CNN has not been able to verify or geolocate the footage, and Saudi Arabia has not made any official comment on the Houthi claims. The incident raises fears that Saudi Arabia could be drawn into a wider conflict as the US-Iran war drags on.