UAE says it destroyed Iranian-built drone in Yemen: state news agency

"Yemeni forces ... spotted preparation to launch the plane from atop a light transport vehicle and coordinated and communicated with the UAE air force operating in Yemen, which did its part in dealing with the plane, destroying it with an air-to-land missile," WAM quoted the officer saying.

Major General Ahmed Saif al-Yafei added that the incident occurred in the area around the Red Sea port of al-Mokha, the scene of heavy fighting between Houthi and Gulf-backed Yemeni forces this week.

There was no immediate reaction to the allegation by Iran or the Houthi group, which has repeatedly denied Gulf Arab accusations that it serves an Iranian agenda in Yemen or has been armed by the Islamic Republic.