Sana'a, September 30, 2024 – The Yemeni Armed Forces, under the command of the Houthi military faction, announced today that their air defenses successfully shot down a U.S.-made MQ-9 drone while it was carrying out hostile operations in the airspace over the Saada governorate.
In a statement issued by the Yemeni Armed Forces, it was confirmed that the drone is the eleventh of its kind to be intercepted and destroyed by their air defense systems during the ongoing battle, which the group has termed the "Promised Victory" operation.
The statement emphasized that this operation is in direct support of the Palestinian and Lebanese people, aligning with what the Houthis have referred to as the "Al-Aqsa Flood" campaign.
Furthermore, the military statement condemned a series of Israeli airstrikes conducted earlier with American support. These strikes targeted several civilian infrastructure sites in Al-Hudaydah, including the port and a power station, resulting in the death of five civilians and injuring 57 others, as per the final toll.
The Yemeni Armed Forces vowed retaliation, stating that this latest "criminal aggression" will not deter them from fulfilling their religious, moral, and humanitarian duty towards the Palestinian and Lebanese causes. The statement promised an escalation in military operations against what they called the "criminal enemy" in the coming period.
"May Yemen remain free, proud, and independent. Victory for Yemen and all the free people of the Ummah," the statement concluded.
The announcement marks a significant escalation in the region's conflict dynamics, with implications for both local and international players.