Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed early Thursday that one of their surface-to-air missiles directly hit a Saudi Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet over Yemen’s Saada province. The jet, they say, had taken off from Taif airbase in western Saudi Arabia and is now “at risk of crashing.” There is no confirmation from Saudi authorities — and without it, this remains a claim, not a fact.
Updated: October 15, 2026, 10:45 AM IST
Quick Read
- Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said shortly after midnight Thursday that a Saudi Eurofighter Typhoon was directly hit by a surface-to-air missile over Saada governorate, Yemen, and is at risk of crashing.
- Saudi authorities have not commented on the claim; Al Jazeera and SBS report no independent confirmation.
- India angle: Brent crude hovers near $104 a barrel; Air India Express, Air India, IndiGo and Akasa Air have suspended flights to Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah till October 17; nearly 27.5 lakh Indians live and work in Saudi Arabia.
What the Houthis claimed
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree announced the claims shortly after midnight on Thursday, per Terror Monitor’s report. In a statement on X, he said the group’s air defences targeted the Eurofighter Typhoon in the airspace of Saada governorate in northwestern Yemen. “It was targeted… with an air-to-air missile, struck directly, and is now at risk of crashing,” Al Jazeera’s live blog quoted him as saying.
Saree also posted a video purporting to show a flash resembling an explosion in the night sky, but its authenticity has not been verified, SBS reported.
This is not the first such claim. On September 16, the Houthis claimed they shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet over Marib governorate with a surface-to-air missile, releasing photos of debris. SBS noted this would be the first time since Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen’s civil war in 2015 that the Houthis had downed a Saudi fighter jet — if confirmed.
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What is confirmed — and what isn’t
Here is the honest scorecard. Confirmed: the claim was made, at a stated time, by a named spokesman. Not confirmed: that the missile actually hit anything. Saudi coalition authorities have issued no statement on the alleged strike, Al Jazeera reported.
Saree’s statement went further. He also claimed the Houthis launched three ballistic missiles at gatherings of Saudi forces in the Ras al-Arah and Al-Mudaribah areas, and claimed a fresh ballistic-missile hit on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Those claims, too, could not be independently verified.
Separately, Saree said Saudi-led coalition forces had carried out 42 strikes on Sanaa and the provinces of Taiz, Lahj, Marib and Amran, as well as Mayyun island in the Bab al-Mandab strait, per the Bastille Post report. Yemen’s government forces, meanwhile, claimed 2,309 of their own operations against Houthi positions. Both sides inflate their numbers in this war. Don’t take any of those figures at face value.
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Riyadh airport: flights still grounded
The part that is not in dispute: flying to Saudi Arabia is in chaos. King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh stays closed till at least October 17. Anadolu’s tally, cited by vietnam.vn, counts 10 attacks on five Saudi airports between October 5 and 11, killing 20 people.
Indian carriers have pulled back hard. Air India Express suspended flights to and from Dammam, Jeddah and Riyadh till October 17, IANS reported on October 13: “We have cancelled flights to and from Dammam, Jeddah and Riyadh until 17 October. Affected guests are being offered complimentary rescheduling or a full refund.”
Air India did the same for the three cities, IndiGo extended its suspension to Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah and Medina, and Akasa Air suspended Riyadh and Jeddah — all till October 17, according to the Indian embassy’s advisory quoted by Rediff. The embassy has advised Indians in Saudi to stay in regular contact with their airlines, and said those in emergency who must leave could try flights from neighbouring Gulf airports like Qatar and Bahrain, subject to visas.
Why India feels it: oil and Indians in Saudi
Two things hit Indian wallets and families directly.
First, oil. Brent crude hovers near $104 a barrel — down about 2% on the day as traders weighed Hormuz supply risks against US moves to ease shipping costs. India imports most of its crude, so every sustained spike at the pump eventually reaches Indian homes. If Houthi attacks hit Saudi energy infrastructure, prices climb. That is the direct line between a jet claimed downed over Saada and your fuel bill.
Second, people. Nearly 27.5 lakh Indians live and work in Saudi Arabia. They send money home, they fly home, and their families fly to visit. Suspended flights and a closed Riyadh airport are not abstract geopolitics for them — they are cancelled tickets and postponed trips.
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What happens next
Watch three things. One: whether Riyadh responds to the Typhoon claim at all. Silence would be unusual for a jet actually downed; a flat denial would not settle it either. Two: whether the October 17 flight suspensions get extended again — the carriers keep rolling these forward as attacks continue. Three: oil. If the strikes on Saudi airports and energy sites escalate, $104 could look cheap.
The claim of a direct hit on a Eurofighter may or may not be true. The disruption around it is very real.
FAQ
Did the Houthis really shoot down a Saudi Eurofighter Typhoon?
The Houthis claim their surface-to-air missile directly hit the jet over Saada, Yemen, and that it is at risk of crashing. Saudi authorities have not commented, and there is no independent confirmation. Treat it as an unverified claim for now.
Are flights from India to Saudi Arabia cancelled?
Yes, till at least October 17. Air India Express, Air India, IndiGo and Akasa Air have suspended services to Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah (and Medina for IndiGo). Affected passengers are being offered free rescheduling or full refunds.
Why does this matter for India?
Oil prices and people. Brent crude is near $104 a barrel and India imports most of its oil, so attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure push up India’s import bill. And nearly 27.5 lakh Indians live and work in Saudi Arabia — flight suspensions directly affect them.
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