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The Houthis (Ansar Allah) have released footage showing the wreckage of a Saudi F-15 fighter in the central Yemeni province of Marib, hours after announcing that they had shot down the warplane.
The footage shows the remains of the fighter scattered across the crash site, including its vertical stabilizer. The Saudi flag and the number 5529 are clearly visible on the tail, allowing the warplane to be identified as F-15SA 5529. The jet is assigned to the Royal Saudi Air Force’s 55th Squadron, according to aviation records.
The F-15SA is an advanced, two-seat version of the F-15. The warplane is estimated to cost around $130 million or more, depending on its configuration and the equipment included in the valuation.
The footage does not provide any indication of what happened to the two crew members. No information has emerged establishing whether the pilot and weapons systems officer survived, were killed or were captured, leaving their fate unclear.
The Houthis had announced the fighter’s downing before releasing the footage, saying it was targeted while conducting operations over Marib.
After releasing the footage, the Houthis announced that they had shot down a Saudi Chinese-made Wing Loong 2 combat drone over Marib, saying the aircraft was conducting hostile operations in the area.
Earlier in the day, the Houthis announced fresh strikes against targets inside Saudi Arabia, saying they had launched ballistic missiles and drones against targets including an Aramco facility in Yanbu and King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait.
The latest developments come amid a sharp escalation along Yemen’s western and northern fronts, with the Houthis making significant battlefield gains in recent days and advancing toward the Red Sea coast and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The escalation has also brought a renewed increase in Saudi air operations and Houthi attacks against Saudi targets.
The downing of the F-15SA is particularly significant because the loss of such an advanced fighter could deter Saudi Arabia, forcing it to limit air operations.
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houthis warriors! 💪🇾🇪 😤