SANAA (Dispatches) — Yemen’s armed forces on Monday announced a new retaliatory operation against Saudi Arabia, saying their forces targeted sensitive points linked to the kingdom’s oil supply and transportation network in response to continued violations of Yemeni airspace and the ongoing blockade imposed on Yemen.
Brigadier General Yahya Saree, spokesman for Yemen’s armed forces, said that several important and sensitive locations involved in the supply and transfer of crude oil from eastern Saudi Arabia to Yanbu were struck in a drone operation.
Saree said the operation was carried out in response to violations of Yemeni airspace by Saudi drones, stressing that Yemen’s armed forces and their allies remain capable of responding to hostile actions and protecting the country’s national interests.
The targets included parts of the East-West oil pipeline, a strategic route that transports crude oil from Saudi Arabia’s eastern oil fields to the Red Sea port of Yanbu.
The pipeline represents a key component of Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure, allowing the kingdom to move oil toward export facilities outside the Persian Gulf.
The announcement came as Yemen’s authorities renewed warnings to Saudi Arabia over the continued restrictions imposed on Yemen. 
In a statement, Yemen’s Foreign Ministry said Riyadh must end the siege of Yemen or face the consequences of a severe response.
The ministry said the Yemeni people would never forget the blood of tens of thousands of martyrs killed during years of Saudi-led attacks on Yemen. 
It added that Saudi Arabia should understand that the situation at Riyadh airport should reflect the situation at Sanaa airport, while Saudi ports including Yanbu and Jizan should face conditions similar to those imposed on Yemen’s Hudaydah port.
Yemen’s resistance forces and allied units in the Yemeni army have repeatedly stated that their operations are a response to aggression, blockade and violations of Yemeni sovereignty. Officials in Sanaa have said that Yemen seeks to defend its security and force an end to restrictions affecting civilian life, ports and airports.
Fouad Naji, deputy head of Yemen’s Endowment Organization in Sanaa, said Yemen’s response to the blockade is a legitimate and lawful reaction. He said Saudi Arabia is now paying the price for the war and pressure campaign it has pursued against the Yemeni people.
“Yemen is responding in a legitimate and legal manner to the blockade imposed by Saudi Arabia,” Naji said, adding that the response had been delayed due to certain circumstances but that the situation has become intolerable because the Yemeni people continue to suffer from the consequences of the blockade.
He emphasized that Yemen has gained extensive experience during years of conflict and that its military capabilities have significantly improved compared with the past.
Naji also said that Yemen remains united and has developed its defense capabilities across different fields. He stated that the country has hundreds of thousands of official military personnel as well as a large reserve force prepared to defend Yemen against threats.
In an operation highlighting Yemen’s growing defensive capabilities, the Yemeni armed forces announced that they had shot down a Saudi-operated Bayraktar Akinci drone over Yemen’s al-Jawf province.
Saree said the Turkish-made armed reconnaissance drone was carrying out hostile operations in Yemeni airspace when it was intercepted and destroyed using an appropriate weapon. 
Yemen’s armed forces said the operation was carried out within the framework of defending national sovereignty and warned that any further attempts to violate Yemeni airspace would be confronted with the country’s full capabilities.
The downing of the advanced drone sent an important message to Saudi Arabia, Yemeni military observers said, stressing that continued escalation against Yemen would carry increasing costs for Riyadh. 
The operation also highlighted the development of Yemen’s air defense capabilities and its ability to confront advanced military technology used by adversaries.
Yemeni military expert Brigadier General Mujeeb Shamsan said the destruction of the Bayraktar Akinci demonstrated significant progress in Yemen’s air defense systems and their readiness to engage sensitive targets. 
He noted that the operation came only weeks after Yemen announced the downing of another advanced unmanned aircraft, the Chinese-made Wing Loong drone, in al-Bayda province.
Shamsan said the Bayraktar Akinci is among the latest generation of long-range drones, equipped with advanced radar systems, electronic warfare capabilities and the ability to carry precision-guided weapons. He said the successful interception of the drone showed that Yemen’s airspace was no longer as vulnerable as it had been in the past.
According to the Yemeni military analyst, the repeated downing of advanced drones demonstrates that Yemen has developed a layered air defense network capable of protecting wide areas of its territory. 
He added that any attempt to conduct reconnaissance or hostile operations over Yemen would now involve significant risks and costs for those carrying them out.
Yemeni officials have previously announced the interception and destruction of advanced unmanned aircraft, including U.S.-made MQ-9 reconnaissance and strike drones.