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Sanaa Airport Strike Sparks
Yemeni government forces bombed the runway at Sanaa airport to stop an Iranian aircraft from landing, and the Houthis later fired ballistic missiles at Saudi Arabia, raising fears of a fresh outbreak of violence in Yemen.
“Yemeni government forces strike Sanaa airport Fears of a fresh outbreak of violence in Yemen are rising after the internationally recognised government attacked Sanaa airport to stop an Iranian aircraft from landing and Houthi rebels fired ballistic missiles”
The internationally recognised government said, “The Houthi terrorist militia, supported by the Iranian regime, prevented Yemeni national aircraft from landing at the capital’s airport, Sanaa, and insisted that the Iranian aircraft violate Yemeni airspace. Therefore, the airport runway was targeted,” and the Houthis said they would respond to the attack, blaming it on Saudi Arabia.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree warned that “this aggression will not go unanswered or unpunished,” while Iran also condemned the strikes and Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei described the attack “as a clear violation of international law and the United Nations Charter, as well as an affront to Yemen’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” state news agency IRNA reported.
On Monday evening, the Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted ballistic missiles launched by the Iran-backed Houthis towards the southern region of the kingdom, with coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki posting on social media that “Air defences intercepted a ballistic missile threat launched by the terrorist Houthi militia towards the southern region.”
Abha Attack and Airline Warning
Hours after the Sanaa airport incident, the Houthis reported that the aircraft carrying a delegation back from Tehran had landed in Hodeidah, and Houthi broadcaster al-Masirah quoted the group’s transport minister as saying “the Iranian plane has landed on the homeland’s soil, carrying a number of medical patients and stranded citizens.”
The Houthis later said they carried out a military operation targeting Abha International Airport with ballistic missiles and drones in response, and Saree warned all airlines against flying over Saudi airspace, urging them to take the warning seriously until what he described as the blockade on Sanaa International Airport is lifted.
In a video statement, Yahya Saree said, “In response to this criminal Saudi aggression, the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a military operation targeting Abha International Airport, using a number of ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles,” while Saudi-led coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said air defences had “dealt with” the Houthi missiles.
The Saudi-backed Yemeni government also accused the rebels of detaining an International Committee of the Red Cross aircraft at Sanaa airport and holding the pilot and co-pilot, but ICRC spokesman for the Middle East Hachem Osseiran told AFP, “All ICRC staff and the crew of the plane are safe and accounted for.”
Ceasefire at Risk, UN Urges
The latest escalation threatens to unravel a truce that has been holding since 2022, and the UN special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, warned of the danger of escalation while saying his office was in contact with all sides to convince them to step back from the brink.
“✕ Home News Analysis Agro-Forestry Art & Culture Technology Economy & Business Education Energy & Extractives Politics Law & Governance Health Science & Environment Social & Gender Sports Transport Urban Development WASH Research LogIn/SignUp Close the sidebar Tensions Soar: Houthis Target Saudi Arabia's Abha Airport Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis launched a military operation targeting Saudi Arabia's Abha Airport with ballistic missiles and drones, in retaliation for Saudi airstrikes on Sanaa Airport”
Grundberg said, “We are urging them to de-escalate and refrain from any actions that would risk a new cycle of violence in Yemen,” and the Saudi-led coalition’s intervention in 2015 is cited as the start of the war that has caused widespread displacement, damage and famine.
The conflict is also framed as a humanitarian crisis, with the United Nations describing the situation as one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, while Al Jazeera reported that the Houthis detained an aircraft belonging to the International Committee of the Red Cross at Sanaa airport and were holding its pilot and co-pilot.
In parallel, the UN held an emergency meeting over the escalation, and UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Khaled Khiari stated that “further escalation poses a serious threat to the region,” adding that Yemen and the wider region cannot afford another cycle of escalation.
