Houthi rebels reported that they shoots down a Saudi Apache Helicopter

According to sources in Yemen, the Houthi rebels (Houthis  is a Zaidi Shia group from Sa’dah, northern Yemen, which was founded by Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi) managed to down the aircraft after it circled the residential neighborhoods in the Mede area of the Hijje  Governorate.

The loss of this aerial asset comes just two days after the Houthis repelled the Saudi Royal Army’s massive attack on the Tawwal border-crossing into northern Yemen.

Currently not confirmed

Following the 1991 Gulf War, during which many U.S. Apaches operated from bases within Saudi territory, Saudi Arabia purchased twelve AH-64As for the Royal Saudi Land Force. It has been speculated that the Saudi purchase had motivated Israel to also procure the Apaches.In August 2006, the Saudi Arabian government began negotiations for Apache upgrades worth up to $400M, possibly remanufacturing their AH-64As to the AH-64D Longbow configuration. In September 2008, the U.S. Government approved the purchase of 12 AH-64Ds requested by Saudi Arabia. In October 2010, Saudi Arabia requested a further 70 AH-64Ds as part of a possible, massive arms deal.

In November 2009, the Royal Saudi Land Force, as part of a military effort against insurgent intrusions of the kingdom’s border, started using the Apache in Operation Scorched Earth; this involved launched air strikes against Houthi rebels operating inside neighboring Yemen as well. In January 2010 the rebels claimed to have shot down an Apache; this was denied by the Saudi military.In late January 2010, the leader of the Shiite rebels announced their withdrawal from Saudi territory, this announcement followed a key battle on 12 January when Saudi forces reportedly took control of the border village of Al Jabiri.