According to the Houthis’ news channel al-Masirah'a broadcast, anti-aircraft weapons had downed the Moroccan F-16 jet fighter over the northwestern province of Saada.
#Houthi militiamen sharing photos of #Morocco F-16 jet that they claim to have shot down near #Saada #Yemen pic.twitter.com/4eqcXUVlE7
— Benjamin T Decker (@btdecker) 11 мая 2015
#Breaking Moroccan F-16 plane shot down over #Yemen by Houthi/Shia rebels. Pilot killed. #SaudiArabia #Morocco pic.twitter.com/dLplBvmERA
— Instant Reporter (@InstantReporter) 11 мая 2015
The channel showed armed men standing on a hillside and saying: “Death to America!” One Houthi rebel had a piece of what is believed to be a plane's wreckage in his hands. “God felled this plane. Even though our weapons are basic and modest, we’ll shoot down all their planes, God willing,” he said as cited by Reuters.
However, Morocco has not confirmed the video yet.
According to a Moroccan Royal Armed Forces statement, the F-16 jet fighter went missing on Sunday. The pilot of a second jet in the same squadron didn't manage to see if the pilot had ejected.
On March 26, the Saudi-led coalition of Arab states started conducting airstrikes on Yemen, targeting Houthi rebel positions at ousted President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi's request.
On April 21, the coalition said it had ended the Decisive Storm military operation and announced the start of the Restoring Hope campaign, saying it would focus on counter-terrorism and humanitarian efforts. Despite the announcement, the airstrikes have continued.
