Al-Houthi: the Patriot systems failed in front of the Samad drones and Yemeni missiles.

A member of Yemen's Supreme Political Council, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, said that the US' announcement regarding the success of testing a laser weapon in the Gulf of Aden is a maneuver with an attractive offer to confront Yemeni drones, yet one which will obliterate Saudi Arabia's budget despite the announcement of the surplus.

He tweeted that the question here is: "How much will it cost Saudi Arabia to own the laser weapon, and will it work or will it fail akin to the way Patriot systems failed against the Samad drones and Yemeni missiles?"

Al-Houthi's statement comes following the US Navy's announcement on Wednesday that its ship, USS Portland, had tested a new laser weapon and destroyed a floating target in the Gulf of Aden, noting that the new system could be used to confront the Ansar Allah's booby-trapped drone boats in the Red Sea.

The US Fifth Fleet added, in a statement, that it "successfully engaged" with the target, noting that "the geography, climate and strategic importance of the region provide a unique environment for technological innovation."

The statement explained that the Fifth Fleet's area of operations includes an important navigational area from the Gulf waters to the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, and parts of the Indian Ocean.