Yemeni forces shoot down Houthi drone over Marib

Military units loyal to Yemen's internationally recognized government intercepted and destroyed a drone operated by the Houthi group on Thursday morning as the aircraft entered the airspace above Marib, a strategic city in northern Yemen, according to the official SABA news agency. The Houthis did not immediately comment on the incident.

The Houthis' targeting of Marib "embodies their escalatory approach and their insistence on continuing their terrorist acts," SABA quoted a military source as saying. "The air defenses engaged the drone as soon as it entered the city's airspace and successfully shot it down," the source added. The strike represents the latest attempt by the Iran-backed group to penetrate government-controlled territory.

Conflict background

Intermittent fighting has flared on several front lines across Yemen since early July, resulting in dozens of casualties on both sides. Thursday's interception comes as diplomatic efforts to extend the relative calm have faltered in recent months.

Yemen has seen a relative lull in fighting since April 2022. The war began more than 11 years ago between government forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition and the Iran-backed Houthi group, which has controlled the capital, Sanaa, and other parts of the country since Sept. 21, 2014.