Yemen Says It Targeted Saudi Typhoon Fighter Jet Following Strikes on Sanaa

By Staff, Agencies

Saudi warplanes launched airstrikes on the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, early Thursday, according to Yemen’s Saba News Agency, as the Yemeni Armed Forces [YAF] announced that they had directly struck a Saudi Typhoon fighter jet over Saada province with a surface-to-air missile.

The development came after the Yemeni Armed Forces warned that any Saudi attack on Sanaa would be met with a “harsh and painful response in Riyadh.”

YAF spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree said Yemeni forces had targeted the Saudi Typhoon after it took off from Taif Air Base and entered the airspace over Saada province.

According to Saree, the fighter jet was directly hit by a surface-to-air missile and faced the risk of crashing.

The reported interception came as Saudi air operations against Yemen continued amid a sharp escalation between the two sides.

The Yemeni Armed Forces had previously cautioned Riyadh against launching attacks on Sanaa, warning that any such aggression would prompt a retaliatory response against the Saudi capital. The latest operation, according to the Yemeni side, represents the implementation of that warning.

The escalation follows a series of military operations announced by the Yemeni Armed Forces targeting Saudi territory.

On Wednesday evening, Saree said Yemeni forces had struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with a ballistic missile.

Earlier that day, the YAF spokesperson announced a separate operation targeting Aramco facilities in Dhahran, in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, alongside King Khalid International Airport and an Aramco refinery in Riyadh.

Saree said the operation, which took place on Tuesday evening, involved a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drones.

He warned that Yemeni military operations deep inside Saudi territory would continue in the coming days, identifying Saudi airports and oil facilities as targets.

The spokesperson also urged international shipping companies, civilians, and workers at the designated sites to evacuate immediately, arguing that the facilities had become legitimate targets amid the ongoing escalation.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry acknowledged a limited fire at an Aramco administrative building in Dhahran, reporting no injuries.

Saudi state news agency SPA separately reported that falling debris from an intercepted cruise missile had injured four people in Riyadh.

The latest developments underscore the growing confrontation between Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni Armed Forces, with both sides continuing military operations as the threat of further strikes against strategic sites and urban centers intensifies. The reported targeting of the Saudi fighter jet marks a further escalation following Yemen’s warnings of retaliation against attacks on Sanaa.