Illustrative image.
The Houthis (Ansar Allah) in Yemen announced on July 14 that they had shot down a Saudi combat drone over the country’s central region.
In a statement, Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said that the group’s air defenses “succeeded in shooting down an enemy Saudi ‘Wing Loong II’ reconnaissance aircraft while it was carrying out hostile missions at dawn today over Al-Bayda Governorate.”
He further warned that the Houthis “confirm their readiness and vigilance against any violation of the airspace and sovereignty of our country. They will not stand idly by in the face of any aggression.”
The Houthis possess fairly capable air defenses, ranging from man-portable systems to interceptors and medium-range anti-aircraft missiles.
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The Wing Loong II was developed by China’s Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group as an aerial reconnaissance and precision strike platform. It is known to be in service with the Royal Saudi Air Force.
The drone has an endurance of 32 hours and an operational range of up to 4,000 kilometers. It can carry up to 12 anti-tank guided missiles, has a maximum speed of 370 km/h, and can be equipped with a satellite data-link for long-range strike capability.
According to Wikipedia’s list of aviation shootdowns and accidents in Yemen, a total of eight Wing Loong II drones have been shot down in Yemen so far, not including the latest one claimed by the Houthis. Not all of the drones belonged to Saudi Arabia; some were operated by the United Arab Emirates Air Force.
A Saudi-operated Wing Loong II was shot down by the Houthis on March 2 over Abyan Governorate in western Yemen, although the group did not publicly announce it at the time.
The latest incident came just one day after the Houthis attacked Abha International Airport in the southern Saudi province of Asir with missiles and drones. The attack was in response to a series of Saudi strikes that hit Sanaa International Airport in the Yemeni capital, preventing an Iranian plane from landing.
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