Houthi forces on Wednesday released footage they say shows a Saudi F-15 fighter jet they shot down over Marib Governorate, as the Iran-aligned rebels press a fast-moving offensive that has strained regional security and global energy routes.
What the Houthis Say
In an accompanying statement, the group claimed the US-built aircraft "was downed using a locally manufactured surface-to-air missile" while it was "conducting hostile operations" above Marib in west-central Yemen. The video includes a digital animation of a missile striking what appears to be a fighter jet and scenes of Houthi fighters inspecting wreckage in a desert landscape. At one point, men lift a tailfin marked with a Saudi flag insignia and the identification number 5539.
Verification And Responses
CNN has not independently verified or geolocated the footage, and Saudi authorities have not issued an official response to the Houthi claim. CNN has sought comment from Saudi and U.S. officials. Retired U.S. Air Force Colonel and CNN military analyst Cedric Leighton said the tail markings visible in the video were "consistent" with Saudi Arabian F-15 aircraft, but stressed that open-source video alone is not conclusive proof.
Broader Context
The alleged shootdown comes amid an escalating regional confrontation linked to tensions between Iran and the United States and follows rapid developments on the ground in Yemen, which has been gripped by civil war for years. The Houthis have intensified operations against Yemen's Saudi-backed government and expanded their territory in recent days, including seizing a Red Sea port city and an island near a key maritime route that had served as a backup to the Strait of Hormuz for exporting Saudi oil and refined products.
The group has also stepped up strikes on Saudi territory in recent weeks, prompting retaliatory strikes from Riyadh. Analysts warn that continued escalation could draw Saudi Arabia further into a wider regional conflict.
Historical Note On F-15 Losses
If the Houthi claim is confirmed, it would be only the second time in the current conflict that a U.S.-built F-15 has been downed by hostile fire. Earlier in the war, Iranian forces shot down a U.S. Air Force F-15 Strike Eagle; a subsequent rescue operation recovered the crew but resulted in the loss and destruction of several U.S. aircraft at a desert site. Separately, three U.S. F-15s were downed by Kuwaiti friendly fire in the conflict's early stages.
The Saudi F-15SA is one of the newest variants of the twin-engine F-15 family. It is based on the F-15E Strike Eagle—an aircraft that first saw combat during Operation Desert Storm in 1991—and, according to a U.S. Air Force press release, Saudi Arabia received its most recent order of Boeing F-15s in December 2020.
Note: Reporting on battlefield claims can be difficult to verify in real time. Independent confirmation from multiple sources is required to establish the full facts of this incident.
CNN contributors to this report include Eyad Kourdi and Teele Rebane. CNN and other outlets continue to seek comment from Saudi and U.S. officials as the situation develops.
