Yemen : Yemeni Gov’t Forces Shoot Down Houthi Drone in Shabwa

Shabwa — Government forces in Yemen announced Monday they had downed a Houthi drone over the oil‑rich province of Shabwa in the country’s southeast.

In a statement posted on Facebook, the local authority’s media office said units from the Shabwa Defense Forces intercepted and destroyed the unmanned aircraft in the Beihan Harib front, west of the province.

The statement described the incident as part of efforts to repel “hostile attempts targeting positions of forces stationed on the frontlines.” Field sources cited by the office said troops from the 3rd and 10th brigades carried out a joint operation to track and shoot down the drone, coinciding with Houthi shelling of government positions in western Shabwa.

Officials stressed that Shabwa Defense Forces remain on high alert, continuing to secure their positions and counter any hostile activity. No immediate comment was issued by the Houthi movement.

The downing of the drone comes amid renewed clashes across several provinces, as fighting between government troops and Houthi fighters intensifies. Yemen has endured one of the world’s worst humanitarian and economic crises, with millions displaced and dependent on aid.

Although a UN‑brokered truce has been in place since April 2022, sporadic battles have flared repeatedly. The Houthis, who seized the capital Sanaa in September 2014, continue to control large swathes of territory.