Yemen's armed forces said they had downed a Turkish-made Bayraktar Akinci armed surveillance drone used by Saudi Arabia in the airspace of Al-Jawf province. In a statement on Sunday local time, spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree said the drone was brought down with an appropriate weapon while conducting what he called a hostile operation. The report was published on July 26, 2026.

Saree said Yemeni forces were prepared and capable of countering any attempt to violate Yemen's airspace and sovereignty. He had earlier claimed that Yemeni forces carried out two separate military operations in response to what he described as Saudi aggression. The first reportedly targeted sensitive Saudi Aramco facilities in Jizan with ballistic missiles and drones, while the second allegedly used ballistic and cruise missiles and drones against Aramco-linked sites in Yanbu.

Saba news agency chief Nasser al-Amer said Yemen would deliver a significant response to recent Saudi military actions. Yemeni forces have also declared the 2022 truce effectively over and announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia. The claims about the drone, Aramco facilities and other operations could not be independently verified, and Saudi authorities had not issued an official comment.