UAE Air Force destroys Iranian-built drone in Yemen

Arab Coalition Forces with help of UAE Air Force destroys Iranian made unmanned aircraft in Mokha, Yemen (WAM)

The UAE Air Force destroyed an Iranian-made drone in Yemen intended to target government troops battling Houthi rebels near the Red Sea.

Major General Ahmed Saif Al Yafei said the incident occurred in the area around the port of Al Mokha, the scene of heavy fighting between Yemeni forces and the rebels, who are backed by Iran.

“Yemeni forces ... spotted preparation to launch the plane from atop a light transport vehicle and coordinated and communicated with the UAE Air Force operating in Yemen, which did its part in dealing with the plane, destroying it with an air-to-land missile,” Wam reported the officer as saying.

He said the drone had been smuggled in by the rebels from Iran, after government troops trapped them on the coast.

Supply of sophisticated weapons and equipment to rebel militias by Iran is “a desperate attempt to undermine the successive victories of forces that support the legitimate government of Yemen,” Gen Al Yafei added.

Fighting in Mokha continued on Saturday as forces loyal to Abdrabu Mansur Hadi, backed by the Arab coalition, advanced further into the town and captured the police headquarters, a military official said.

Mr Hadi’s troops launched an offensive nearly three weeks ago to oust the rebels from the southern part of the Red Sea coastline.

Since Friday, at least 19 rebels have been killed and 23 wounded, rebel medical sources said. Eight government troops have been killed and 13 wounded, doctors in Aden said.

The rebels’ only escape route is to the north after loyalist forces surrounded Mokha from the east and the south, the military official said.

*Reuters and Agence France-Presse