Yemeni forces say they downed Saudi Wing Loong 2 drone over Ma'rib

Yemen's armed forces announced on Sunday that they had shot down an armed Saudi reconnaissance drone over Ma'rib Province, according to the Yemeni outlet Al-Masirah. The announcement was made by Yahya Saree, the spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces, who said the aircraft was a Saudi "Wing Loong 2" drone that was brought down while carrying out what he described as hostile actions.

Saree said the drone was downed over Ma'rib Province. He did not provide further details on the method used to bring the aircraft down or on the exact location and time of the incident. There was no immediate comment from Saudi authorities on the claim.

Separately, Al-Masirah's correspondent in Sa'dah reported that Saudi forces carried out a drone attack on Al-Sheikh District in the Munabbih area of Sa'dah province. The report did not specify the number of casualties or the extent of the damage caused by the strike.

The two reports come amid continuing military activity between Saudi-led forces and Yemen's armed forces. Ma'rib province, east of the capital Sanaa, has been a focal point of fighting in recent years, while Sa'dah province in the north, bordering Saudi Arabia, has repeatedly been the site of cross-border exchanges.

The Wing Loong 2 is a Chinese-made unmanned aerial vehicle used for reconnaissance and strike missions. Its reported downing, if confirmed, would mark another loss of such equipment in the Yemen conflict.

According to Mehr News, citing Al-Masirah, the Yemeni Armed Forces spokesman announced the downing of the drone and the Saudi strike on Al-Sheikh District in separate statements. The report did not include any response from the Saudi-led coalition.