Yemeni army forces said Wednesday that they shot down a Houthi drone in Al-Mutoon district, located in the western part of Al-Jawf governorate in northern Yemen.

Government forces were shown posing in a photo with a drone they claim to have shot down in the Al-Jar’oob front of Al-Mutoon, but they said were unable to verify whether it was a surveillance or reconnaissance drone. The pictured aircraft resembles the Houthi “Rased” drone, which is virtually identical to the Chinese-made Skywalker X-8 hobbyist plane.

Al-Mutoon has been the site of intense fighting in recent days between the Houthis and the government forces. Yemen’s army has been trying to retain long-held positions there, including the governorate compound in the same district. 

Meanwhile, Houthi spokesman Yahya Suray'a, held a press conference to announce the rebels’ military advances northeast of the capital Sana’a since last week. Suray’a said the rebels took control of Nihm district in Sana’a governorate, as well as districts in Marib and Al-Jawf governorates without specifying which ones.

On Tuesday, on the other side of the country along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, government forces said they recaptured five strategic hills in Al-Dhabab district in southwestern Taiz governorate after a week of heavy fighting against the Houthis.