SANAA (Dispatches) -- The Yemeni Armed Forces say they shot down a Saudi reconnaissance drone over the northern province of Sa’ada while it was carrying out “hostile activities.” 
Military spokesman Yahya Saree said on Wednesday that air defenses downed a Saudi Karayel-type drone using an appropriate weapon. 
He stressed that Yemen’s Armed Forces will continue protecting the country’s sovereignty and have the “legitimate right” to respond to any violation. Yemeni forces have shot down five drones of the same type during previous years of Saudi aggression.
The announcement follows a sharp escalation after Saudi forces struck Sana’a International Airport on July 13, violating a four-year ceasefire and prompting Yemen’s armed forces to resume retaliatory operations. In response, Yemeni forces targeted strategic sites inside Saudi Arabia, including Abha International Airport.
Last Monday, Ansarullah announced a “siege for siege” policy and declared a naval blockade on Saudi maritime traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. 
Dhaifallah al-Shami, a member of Ansarullah’s political bureau, said Sana’a launched the operation to “break the Saudi blockade” and will continue until Yemenis secure their rights. He said Saudi Arabia seeks to impose guardianship over millions of Yemenis, and all options remain on the table. 
Al-Shami added that measures so far are merely a warning to Riyadh, and he censured Saudi Arabia for blaming neighboring countries, including Iraq, to conceal its own failures. He said Yemen officially announces every military operation and has no reservations about declaring its capabilities.
Yemen, as part of the Axis of Resistance, coordinates with other members while possessing the capabilities necessary to secure its rights. 
China has held direct talks with Ansarullah to enable its tankers to sail through the southern Red Sea without being attacked, after the Yemeni resistance pledged to prevent access to Saudi ports. Ansarullah declared their blockade on July 20, opening a new front against the U.S. and its allies.
Beijing asked Ansarullah directly to promise safe passage for its tankers, according to sources including a senior Iranian official. 
China was among the first countries to contact the Yemeni resistance about transits through Bab el-Mandeb. Beijing seeks to keep oil exports flowing from Saudi Red Sea terminals to plug gaps caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the terrorist U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
At least four tankers have transited Bab el-Mandeb since the Yemeni resistance announced restrictions, with Chinese officials clearing each vessel individually with Ansarullah. 
The Yemeni resistance has informed shipping companies that vessels may be attacked if they load or discharge cargo at Saudi ports. Two tankers have changed course due to safety concerns. 
Ansarullah said they struck two Saudi oil tankers last week, and maritime sources confirmed one strike. The Yemeni resistance has maintained good relations with China, with close coordination on oil shipments from Saudi Arabia to China, sources said.