Yemen: The Yemeni military continues its naval and aerial operations as part of the Al-Aqsa Storm campaign, supporting both the Palestinian and Lebanese resistances against the Zionist enemy.

Several military experts have described the operation, announced by the Yemeni Armed Forces through spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree on Friday, as a major military achievement. They highlighted the significance of this operation, including the downing of an MQ-9 drone for the twelfth time, stressing that it carries considerable implications and will impact the course of the battle and conflict in the region.

Military expert and analyst Brigadier General Mujib Shamsan noted that this operation underscores Yemen's steadfast position and its ongoing support for the Palestinian and Lebanese resistances. He added that American threats, or those from its regional allies, would not influence Yemen’s stance, either at the official or popular level.

In an interview on Almasirah TV, Shamsan elaborated that targeting Nevatim Airbase, a primary base for the Zionist entity which houses F-35 aircraft, marks the first time the Yemeni Armed Forces have specified the nature of the military target. 

He noted that reports from Israel indicated that sirens were heard and a missile was detected coming from Yemen near the Dead Sea, confirming that the missile reached its intended target. Shamsan added that the hypersonic missile accelerates upon launch, reaching speeds of up to Mach 16, making it impossible for any defensive system to intercept, particularly as it approaches its target.

He also highlighted that the American THAAD missile defense system, reportedly stationed near Nevatim, was unable to intercept the missile. The Yemeni forces have previously bypassed this system in the UAE’s Al Dhafra Airbase, where Yemeni missiles forced Americans to take shelter in bunkers.

Shamsan continued, saying that the Armed Forces’ announcement of the Nevatim strike was followed by Israeli confirmation of sirens and a missile detection from Yemen, indicating the missile likely reached its target successfully.

He pointed out that the repeated downing of MQ-9 drones reflects the U.S.’s heavy reliance on intelligence gathering in Yemen and its lack of actionable information on the ground. This success by Yemeni forces has disrupted American information channels, both on the ground and through reconnaissance drones, limiting U.S. intelligence from areas like Hodeidah, Saada, Al Jawf, Marib, and Al Bayda. 

Shamsan added that Yemen's airspace in liberated provinces is now secure against even the most advanced American surveillance drones.

For his part, lLebanese military affairs expert Brigadier General Ali Abi Raad echoed Shamsan’s comments, noting that such statements made before millions of Yemenis reflect the resilience of the Yemeni people.

In his own interview on Almasirah TV, Abi Raad emphasized that the growing military capabilities of Yemen and the Yemeni military’s readiness to confront international and regional forces astonishes the enemy. He added that striking a target over 2,000 kilometers away demonstrates Yemen’s advanced and continually improving military capabilities, and that the hypersonic missile achieves such impact at a lower cost, outpacing the latest technologies.

Abi Raad described the strike on Nevatim Airbase as a significant new achievement for Yemen, as it targeted the most critical and largest of Israel’s three main bases: Ramat David, Nevatim, and Tel Nof. Nevatim Airbase is particularly important as it houses F-35 stealth aircraft, has five runways, and is located near the Dimona nuclear reactor, which explains the U.S. focus on positioning the THAAD system in the area.

He concluded by noting that the downing of the MQ-9 drone, a point of pride in American reconnaissance technology that Yemen has repeatedly downed in multiple provinces, is clear evidence of American failure and the limitations of its advanced weaponry in Yemen’s skies and territory.