Saudi Arabia strikes Yemen as conflict with Iran-backed Houthis escalates

Saudi Arabia struck the Al-Barh bridge in southwestern Yemen early on Thursday morning, Ynet reported citing the Houthi-linked news channel Al-Masirah.

Two airstrikes were carried out on the bridge, the reported said, adding that this was the second time Al-Barh had been targeted in the last two days.

Additionally, the Houthis claimed to have shot down a Saudi drone in the eastern Saudi Arabian city of Haradh, Iranian state media Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting reported on Wednesday evening.

Saudi planes have carried out 40 airstrikes across Yemen in the last 24 hours, IRIB added.

The strikes come amid escalating conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen.

Yemen’s Houthis reported that they downed an F-15 fighter jet belonging to the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) over Yemen’s Marib Governorate, the Iran-backed terror group’s military spokesperson Yahya Saree said on Wednesday.

“The fighter jet was downed using a locally manufactured surface-to-air missile (SAM),” Saree explained, although he didn’t clarify when the alleged incident occured.

Saree added that the Houthis were able to repel two formations of RSAF F-15s and Typhoon fighter jets searching for the F-15 wreckage, utilizing the same type of SAMs that downed it.

The Houthi spokesperson also denied that the terror group had targeted Mecca in a drone strike, saying that “The fabrications and lies… cannot deceive anyone.”

“There is no threat whatsoever from Yemen to the holy sites [Mecca and Medina],” he claimed.

Saree’s statements referred to an incident on Tuesday when Saudi Arabia’s air defense systems intercepted a Houthi drone as it approached the restricted airspace over Mecca.

James Genn contributed to this report.