Illustrative image, source: the Houthis media wing.
On December 16, On December 4, the Houthis (Ansar Allah) announced that they had shot down yet another US-made Boeing Insitu ScanEagle drone over the central Yemeni province of Ma’rib.
Brig. Gen. Yahya Sari, a spokesman for the Yemeni group, said in a statement that the drone was shot down with a “suitable weapon” while it was conducting “hostile acts” over the Valley of Aubaidah in the outskirts of Ma’rib city.
“Our armed forces will spare no effort to protect the Yemeni airspace as long as the aggression and siege continue,” the spokesman said.
The drone was likely of the more advanced ScanEagle 2 variant, which has a top speed of 148 kilometers and an endurance of more than 16 hours. The drone is mainly used for reconnaissance missions. It is equipped with a day and night capable sensor, a fully digital video system and an advanced navigation system.
This was the fourth ScanEagle drone to be shot down by the Houthis’ air defenses over Ma’rib in December, and the overall tenth this year.
- On June 20, the first drone was shot down over Sirwah district;
- On June 21, the second drone was shot down over Sirwah district;
- On August 14, the third drone was shot down over Medghal district;
- On September 27, the fourth drone was shot down over Medghal district;
- On November 9, the fifth drone was shot down over al-Jubah district;
- On November 13, the sixth drone was shot down over al-Jubah district;
- On December 4, the sevenths drone was shot down over al-Jubah district;
- On December 7, the eighth drone was shot down over al-Jubah district;
- On December 10, the ninth drone was shot down over Sirwah district.
Just a day earlier, the Saudi-led coalition announced that it had destroyed an air-defense system of the Houthis in Mar’ib.
Last week, the Houthis resumed their advance towards Ma’rib after a temporary halt. The group captured the Bulq al-Sharqi mountain which overlooks the southern outskirts of the city.
The Saudi-led coalition is now struggling to push the Houthis back. On December 16, the coalition claimed that its proxies had repelled a Houthi attack on the southern outskirts of Ma’rib city. According to the coalition, 250 Houthi fighters were killed and 14 vehicles of the group were destroyed.
