Saudi Warplanes Pound Yemen as Houthis Solidify Gains in New Theatre
Saudi warplanes pounded Yemen on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, as Houthi fighters solidified their gains in a new theatre of the Middle East conflict. The Iran-backed Houthis have swept through Yemeni towns along the Red Sea coast and seized islands in the Bab el-Mandeb strait at its mouth since last week.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group had shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet, although no immediate evidence was presented. Saudi officials did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment on this claim.
The Houthis have fired repeatedly into Saudi Arabia over the past week, causing alarms in cities in the south and west. An attack blamed on Iran-aligned fighters in Iraq last week knocked out Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline, the main route used to divert oil exports from the blockaded Strait of Hormuz.