The Yemeni army's air defense forces supported by Ansarullah popular committees shot down the helicopter on Sunday with a surface-to-air missile in the district of Horaib in the Central province of Marib, al-Manar news channel reported.

Also yesterday, Ansarullah forces stopped the invasion of the Saudi-backed militants affiliated to fugitive president Mansour Hadi into Marib.

The militants, backed by Saudi-led coalition troops, sought to advance towards Hamma al-Masaria region in Marib but Ansarullah forces prevented them from entering the region.

Saudi Arabia has been striking Yemen for 173 days now to restore power to fugitive president Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh. The Saudi-led aggression has so far killed at least 5,847 Yemenis, including hundreds of women and children.

Hadi stepped down in January and refused to reconsider the decision despite calls by Ansarullah revolutionaries of the Houthi movement.

Despite Riyadh’s claims that it is bombing the positions of the Ansarullah fighters, Saudi warplanes are flattening residential areas and civilian infrastructures; Farsnews reported.