The Yemeni army says its air defense units have intercepted a Saudi Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet over the northwestern province of Sa’ada, as hostilities between the two sides have entered a new phase of intensified air strikes and cross-border attacks.

Spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announced in a statement early on Thursday that the supersonic and multirole warplane was struck by a locally manufactured surface-to-air missile while conducting hostile operations.

Saree added that the warplane, which had taken off from King Fahd Air Base in Taif, sustained a direct hit as a result of the strike and had to leave Yemeni airspace.

The interception of the Saudi Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet came as Saudi air strikes against Yemen continued amid a sharp escalation between the two sides.

Late on Wednesday, Saudi warplanes carried out an airstrike against a residential building in al-Qatay area of the al-Marawi'ah district in Yemen’s western coastal province of Hudaydah.

There were no immediate reports about possible casualties and the extent of damage caused.

Saudi Aramco HQ suffered extensive damage in Yemeni retaliatory strike: Report

The headquarters of the Saudi Aramco company in the kingdom’s eastern city of Dhahran suffered extensive damage following a combined missile-and-drone operation by Yemeni armed forces.

The Yemeni military has warned that any Saudi attack on Sana’a would be met with a “harsh and painful response” in the kingdom’s capital of Riyadh.

The Sana’a administration announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia on July 20, in retaliation for “an unjust and oppressive siege” on Yemen that has continued for almost 12 years.

The Yemeni military has reported multiple successful operations targeting ships associated with Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea.

In March 2015, Saudi Arabia and its allies enacted a blockade on Yemen and initiated a large-scale military campaign, with support from the United States and various Western nations in terms of military, political, and logistical resources.

The conflict has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Yemenis. Nevertheless, Saudi Arabia has not succeeded in achieving its goal of restoring a puppet government that aligns with its interests.