IRIA News

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Yemen’s Houthi group released footage of a Saudi F-15 fighter jet shot down over Yemen on September 16, 2026, as the group expands its military operations against Saudi-backed forces and increases attacks on Saudi Arabia.

The footage, verified by independent media outlets, shows aircraft wreckage in a mountainous area west of the Yemeni city of Marib.

The Houthis said that the U.S.-made fighter was brought down by a locally manufactured surface-to-air missile while conducting operations over the Marib region.

The fate of the aircraft’s crew is not known. Saudi Arabia has not publicly confirmed the shootdown or commented on the footage. If duly confirmed, the incident would mark the first time the Houthis have brought down a fighter jet during the conflict, according to reports.

Wreckage Found in Mountains West of Marib

The Houthis released several video clips showing armed fighters inspecting the wreckage of the aircraft. In one clip, the men stand beside burned debris and small fires. Another shows what appears to be the aircraft’s tail fin, bearing a Saudi flag and a four-digit identification number.

BBC Verify used satellite imagery, the position of the sun, and distinctive rock formations to locate the crash site in an isolated mountainous area about 25 miles (40 kilometers) west of Marib.

Satellite images also show a new dark mark at the same location. BBC Verify said the mark appears consistent with scorch or burn marks from a crash.

Onboard footage of a Houthi SAM system shooting down a Saudi F-15 overnight over Yemen’s Marib province. pic.twitter.com/6mh23B2Ovu

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) September 16, 2026

The footage itself does not show the moment of impact clearly. The Houthis also released a thermal video that appears to show a fighter jet being struck by a missile, but BBC Verify said the clip could not be fully verified because of limited visual details.

Experts Identify the Aircraft

Weapons experts have identified the aircraft in the wreckage as an F-15 Strike Eagle. The assessment was based on several visible features, including the arrangement of the tail fins, radar antenna, and missile warning system sensors.

The tail number visible in the footage also appears consistent with an F-15 operated by the 55th Squadron of the Royal Saudi Air Force. The squadron is based at King Khalid Air Base near Khamis Mushait in south-west Saudi Arabia.

The aircraft shown in the footage has also been described in reports as an F-15SA, a Saudi variant of the U.S.-built fighter. The tail number reportedly matches an aircraft from the same squadron, although this alone does not establish how the aircraft was lost.

Major Blow to Saudi Air Operations

The reported shootdown comes as the Houthis continue to expand their operations in Yemen. IRIA defense experts said that Houthis had benefited from Iranian advice and technological support.

The group had continued developing its military arsenal to increase the pressure on Saudi Arabia. Saudi air support was considered important to any major effort to push back against recent Houthi gains.

Baron added that the incident could serve the group’s public message that Saudi air operations would come at a cost.

The assessments point to the importance of the reported loss beyond the aircraft itself. Saudi air power has been a central part of the kingdom’s military campaign in Yemen, and the Houthis have sought to challenge it with missiles, drones, and air-defense systems.

However, the available footage does not establish the exact missile used or the circumstances of the engagement.

King Khalid Air Base Targeted

The reported F-15 loss is linked to a wider series of Houthi attacks on Saudi military targets. King Khalid Air Base, which is located about 392 kilometers from the reported crash site, was targeted last week in what the Houthis described as a barrage of missiles and drones.

Satellite imagery analyzed by BBC Verify appears to show damage to at least three aircraft hangars or shelters at the base. The base is one of several high-profile Saudi targets reportedly struck by the Houthis in recent days. Other reported targets include an oil refinery in Jizan.

The Houthis have also claimed to have engaged Saudi F-15s and Eurofighter Typhoons that entered Yemen in search of the downed aircraft. These claims have not been independently confirmed.

Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday that it had destroyed a Houthi drone near the Islamic holy city of Mecca on Tuesday. The Houthis denied targeting the city. The group said on Thursday that Saudi Arabia had launched 40 air strikes against Yemen over the previous 24 hours.

High-quality footage of a Saudi F-15 fighter jet being shot down and its wreckage in Marib province – September 16, 2026

Saudi Arabia will sink in Yemen pic.twitter.com/UKMy9Zjo43

— ابراهيم ناجي Ibrahim Naji (@Ibrahym22Nagi) September 16, 2026

Fighting Spreads Toward the Red Sea

The reported fighter jet loss comes during a sharp escalation in Yemen’s long-running conflict. The Houthis have launched an offensive against forces backed by Saudi Arabia’s government, capturing key territory near the country’s south-western coast.

The advance has brought the group closer to vital international shipping routes around the Bab Al Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.

The area is an important route for global trade and energy shipments. Houthi gains near the waterway have raised concerns about the security of shipping and the wider regional impact of the conflict.

The group has also increased missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia in recent weeks. Reports said attacks earlier this week forced the closure of Jeddah’s main international airport, while alerts were issued in several other cities, including Yanbu, Taif, Abha, and Jazan.

The F-15 shootdown adds an air-defense dimension to the escalating fighting. For Saudi Arabia, the incident comes as its military faces pressure from Houthi advances on the ground and attacks against targets inside the kingdom.

The incident also comes at a time when the group is seeking to expand its influence in Yemen and increase pressure on Saudi Arabia through attacks on military and strategic targets.

The reported loss of the F-15 is therefore part of a wider escalation involving ground offensives, missile and drone attacks, and growing risks around the Red Sea shipping route.