Yemen's Ansarullah says it downed Saudi ScanEagle drone over Sa'ada

Ansarullah has reported the downing of a Saudi military ScanEagle surveillance drone over Sa'ada Province in northern Yemen. According to the group, the aircraft, manufactured by Boeing, is valued at $11.25 million. No further details were provided about the circumstances of the downing or the condition of the drone.

The announcement comes amid continued military activity in the country. On September 28, Saudi warplanes conducted airstrikes on several provinces across Yemen. Among the targets was a-Rawdah School in al-Ta'iziyah District, northwest of Ta'izz, which was struck for the third time, destroying what remained of the building. Four missiles fired by Saudi forces also hit areas east of the northern city of Sa'ada.

Yemen's Saba News Agency reported the strikes, which it said targeted a school and residential villages. The reported downing of the ScanEagle is the latest in a series of similar incidents during the conflict, in which Yemeni armed forces have announced the destruction of surveillance and combat drones operated by the Saudi-led coalition.

Sa'ada Province, a stronghold of Ansarullah in Yemen's north, has been a frequent target of airstrikes and a site of repeated drone activity. The province lies near the border with Saudi Arabia, and its airspace has seen numerous intercepts of unmanned aircraft in recent years.

The ScanEagle is a small, long-endurance surveillance drone widely used by military forces for intelligence, reconnaissance and target acquisition. Its reported value of $11.25 million reflects the cost of the platform and its associated systems.

There was no immediate comment from Saudi authorities on the Ansarullah claim. Such reports are difficult to verify independently, and casualty or damage figures from either side are often disputed.

According to Mehr News, the downing was announced by Ansarullah, which also stated the value of the Boeing-manufactured aircraft. The report by Mehr News added that the incident follows the September 28 airstrikes on Yemeni provinces, including the repeated targeting of a-Rawdah School and missile strikes east of Sa'ada.