Saudi helicopter crash in Najran kills two crew; coalition blames a technical fault, Houthis claim they shot it down

Two crew members were killed when a Saudi AH-6i reconnaissance helicopter crashed in Najran, in south-western Saudi Arabia near the Yemen border, on Sunday 18 October, the Saudi-led coalition said, Reuters reported via Business Recorder.

Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Maliki said the crash was caused by a technical fault. It happened in an area under the jurisdiction of the Saudi National Guard Ministry.

The Houthi claim

On Saturday, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said on X that the group had shot down a Saudi Apache helicopter near Najran, saying it had been carrying out hostile activities against Houthi positions along the border. The coalition has not confirmed any shoot-down.

On Sunday al-Maliki answered with a photo of several Apache helicopters and the words: "You claim to have shot it down, but it will enter the battlefield soon."

The two accounts describe different aircraft: the coalition named a light AH-6i, while the Houthis spoke of an Apache. It is not yet clear whether they refer to the same event.

Why Najran is on the front line

Najran has come under Houthi attack in recent weeks as fighting between the Saudi-led coalition and the Iran-aligned group has escalated. The Yemen conflict has become another front in the US-led war with Iran, and Egypt's President Sisi has asked his parliament to approve help for Saudi Arabia against the Houthis (our story).

What it means for Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia

Millions of Pakistanis live and work in Saudi Arabia, mostly far from the southern border. Najran is a border province; anyone working there should follow instructions from local authorities and keep in touch with the Pakistan Embassy in Riyadh or the Consulate in Jeddah. Families sending money home can check today's rate on our Saudi riyal to PKR page.