Yemen's Houthi rebels said they shot down a "U.S.-made spy drone" belonging to the Saudi-led coalition while it was hovering over their positions in the central province of Marib, Trend reports citing Xinhua.
"Our forces shot down the spy drone over Medghal district," Houthi-run al-Masirah TV quoted the Houthi militia spokesman Yehya Sarea as saying.
On Thursday, the Yemeni government army backed by the coalition recaptured and secured the highway linking Al-Kasarah area, about 18 km west of Marib central city, with the northwestern district of Medghal after deadly battles with the rebels, according to local government military sources.
The Houthis began in February a major offensive on Marib in an attempt to seize control of the oil-rich province.
The United Nations has warned that the offensive on Marib, which hosts nearly 1 million internally displaced people, could lead to a major humanitarian catastrophe.