Houthi rebels in Yemen on Saturday claimed to have intercepted a US-made spy drone in the central province of Marib.

Rebel spokesman Yahya Saree said in a statement that Houthi air defenses brought down an American-made ScanEagle spy plane in the Marib’s al-Jubah district, adding that the aircraft was carrying out “hostile actions” in the area.

The Houthi claim comes just hours after the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen carried out airstrikes on rebel sites in the capital Sanaa.

Saree said Houthi rebels have shot down seven US-made spy drones in Yemen this year.

There was no comment from US officials or the Yemeni government on the Houthi claim.

In recent months, Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels have stepped up attacks to take control of the oil-rich Marib province, one of the most important strongholds of the legitimate government and home to the headquarters of Yemen’s Defense Ministry.

Yemen has been engulfed by violence and instability since 2014, when Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including the capital Sanaa.

A Saudi-led coalition aimed at reinstating the Yemeni government has worsened the situation, causing one of the world’s worst man-made humanitarian crises, with nearly 80% or about 30 million needing humanitarian assistance and protection, and more than 13 million in danger of starvation, according to UN estimates.

A recent United Nations report projected that by year’s-end the death toll from the seven-year Yemeni conflict will reach 377,000./aa