News - Yemen: American admissions regarding Yemen's military capabilities continue to surface, highlighting the success of Sana'a forces in developing and locally manufacturing missiles and drones, as well as innovating an air defense system that has astonished the American adversary and forced its advanced aircraft to retreat.

An American official told The War Zone website that an F-35 fighter jet was forced to perform an evasive maneuver to avoid being hit by Yemeni surface-to-air missiles, noting that the Yemeni missiles got close enough to compel the American fighter to dodge and flee.

He indicated that damaging a US military fighter jet would be considered a major victory for the Yemenis, prompting Washington to deploy B-2 stealth bombers and long-range munitions—a move that reveals serious concerns about Yemen's Air Defenses, beyond what has been publicly acknowledged.

The US military-focused website acknowledged that the Yemeni Armed Forces proudly claim that most of their missile and drone arsenal is manufactured domestically within Yemen, affirming that they have indeed demonstrated significant capability in producing and developing weapons inside the country.

It added, "Sometimes we are surprised by what the Yemeni Armed Forces manage to achieve, and we sit down trying to figure out how they did it. Although we are technologically superior, we are shocked by the level of their weapons and their very effective military innovations.”

In recent years, Yemen's Armed Forces have made significant advancements in developing indigenous missile and drone technologies despite years of blockade and aggression. Initially reliant on modified foreign systems, Yemeni forces have since shifted towards self-sufficiency, producing a wide range of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, drones, and now, increasingly effective air defense systems.

These advancements have posed new challenges for US and allied forces operating in the region. What was once considered a weak and easily contained threat has evolved into a credible force capable of intercepting and threatening advanced fighter jets like the F-35. This shift has forced the US military to reconsider its operational strategies, including the deployment of stealth bombers and long-range weapons to avoid direct confrontation with Yemeni Air Defenses.

The growing sophistication of Yemen’s military technology reflects not only technical innovation but also strategic resilience, turning Yemen into a key player in the regional balance of power.