On September 14th, the Houthis (as Ansar Allah are known) claimed the downing of a drone over the Kitaf district in the northern Yemeni province of Saadah.
The claims were provided with a video showing the interception of the UAV.
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The Chengdu Wing Loong II is an unmanned combat aerial vehicle developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group in the People’s Republic of China. It’s designed to be used as a surveillance and aerial reconnaissance and precision strike platform. The combat drone has a long range strike capability thanks to a satellite link.
This type of combat drones is known to be in service with both the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) and the United Arab Emirates Air Force.
Taking into account the area, where the drone was shot down, it could be believed to be operated by the RSAF.
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According to the available information, the Houthis have shot down a total of five Wing Loong I and II over Yemen in the last five years.
The last time a Chinese-made CAIG Wing Loong II was shot down along the Yemeni-Saudi border on May 20.
The attempt of a drone attack over Yemen may be a response to the recent increase of Houthi attacks over Saudi Arabia and its positions in Yemen. The most recent such attack took place on September 11, when four ballistic missiles and three suicide drones struck the Saudi-held Mokha Port on the western Yemeni coast.
Those might be the same drones used in Panjsher lately by Chinese, which want Bagram airbase.