A Saudi Arabian Apache attack helicopter has crashed near the Najran region on the Yemeni border. The Saudi-led coalition announced that the helicopter crashed due to a technical malfunction and that two crew members lost their lives in the incident.
The Iran-backed Houthis, however, claimed that the helicopter was shot down by them. The Houthis' claim has not been verified by independent sources.
STATEMENT FROM THE HOUTHIS
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree argued in a statement on October 17 that the helicopter was targeted while conducting military operations against Houthi positions on the Yemen-Saudi Arabia border.
In the statement featured on the Houthi-affiliated SABA news agency, Saree said that an “appropriate weapon” was used in the attack. However, he did not share details regarding which air defense system was used.
Saree also claimed that they shot down a Saudi Arabian armed unmanned aerial vehicle flying over the Hajjah province in northwestern Yemen. This claim has also not been confirmed by independent sources.
Following the intensification of clashes in Yemen in July 2026, the Houthis announced that they had increased their attacks on Saudi Arabia’s military sites, airports, and energy infrastructure.
The Houthis announced in August that they had targeted the airport in Najran and facilities belonging to Aramco with unmanned aerial vehicles. In October, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh was the target of missile and drone attacks; it was reported that at least 13 people were killed and more than 300 people were injured in the attack.
The war in Yemen deepened after the Houthis seized control of the capital, Sanaa, and a large part of the country in 2014. The Saudi-led coalition intervened in the conflict in 2015 to support the internationally recognized Yemeni government.
A ceasefire reached in 2022 under the leadership of the United Nations had significantly reduced the clashes. However, a lasting peace could not be achieved due to the inability of the parties to reach a political solution.
News Source: 12punto
