Amid the ongoing geopolitical turmoil in the Middle East, Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels (Ansarullah) have made a sensational claim of delivering a huge strategic blow to Saudi Arabia's Air Force. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sari released an official video message saying that Yemen's air defense system has shot down a state-of-the-art American-made F-15 (F-15 Eagle/Strike Eagle) twin-engine fighter aircraft belonging to the Saudi Arabia-led military coalition. A high-quality video footage broadcast on the Houthi group-run 'al-Masirah' TV network and various social media handles shows a plane engulfed in flames and falling to the ground and its wreckage later burning in a mountainous area. This incident has once again thrown the long-standing ceasefire efforts in the Red Sea and the Saudi border into deep trouble. Missile strike captured on thermal cameras: This is how a fighter jet fell victim The video released by the Houthi rebel group shows scenes from thermal and infrared (FLIR) tracking cameras used during military operations: Precise tracking: Video footage shows a jet aircraft being tracked flying in the sky, with heavy heat signatures emanating from both its engines. Firing of the missile: Next, a locally modified 'Surface-to-Air Missile' (SAM) is shown being fired from the ground. It is believed that it is 'Saqib' or 'Fater-1' air defense missile upgraded with Iranian technology. Huge explosion in the sky: As soon as the missile hits the rear of the plane, there is a huge explosion in the sky and the fighter jet becomes a ball of fire and starts falling downwards. Burning debris on the ground: In the last part of the video, Houthi fighters are seen standing around burning debris on the ground and shouting slogans, in which burnt wings and engine parts of the plane are scattered. In which area was the action taken and what is the status of the pilot? According to a Houthi spokesman, the incident took place in the airspace of Saada or al-Jawf province of Yemen, adjacent to the southern border of Saudi Arabia. The Houthis allege that this fighter plane had entered Yemen's border with the purpose of carrying out offensive operations and bombing ground targets. At the same time, no official confirmation has been made yet regarding the pilot and navigator of the aircraft. Houthi sources claim that a search operation is being conducted in the mountainous areas to find the pilot who ejected just before the plane crashed, while no official response or confirmation has been given yet by the Saudi coalition on this claim. Why is F-15 considered invincible from strategic point of view? The F-15 fighter aircraft manufactured by American defense giant Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) is counted among the most lethal and reliable air-superiority fighter jets in modern Air Force history. The Saudi Royal Air Force (RSAF) has one of the largest fleets of F-15s after the US, which includes the advanced F-15SA variant. The F-15 has a record of more than 100 victories in air-to-air combat in modern warfare history, and it is considered extremely rare to be shot down by surface-to-air missiles. If this claim by the Houthis is fully independently verified, it would be a major military loss for Saudi Arabia and would show that the Houthis' air defense capabilities are more advanced than ever before. Fear of increasing tension in the Gulf and Red Sea: After this new development, the fear of a new round of tension in the Gulf region and Yemen conflict has deepened: Threat of Saudi retaliation: After the targeting of the fighter plane, the fear of large-scale air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition on Yemen's capital Sanaa and Houthi military bases has increased. Impact on Red Sea shipping: This action could further embolden Houthi rebels, who are already targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea, further increasing the risk to international maritime trade. Shock to peace talks: This incident could deal a major blow to the ongoing back-channel diplomatic talks and hopes of a permanent ceasefire mediated by Oman between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. Currently, global defense analysts are busy verifying the technical authenticity of the video released by the Houthi rebel organization and the serial numbers present on the debris.
