Yemen’s Houthis Threaten Saudi Airports After Airspace Intrusion Accusation

Yemen’s Houthis threatened to attack Saudi Arabia’s airports and vital assets after they accused Saudi “warplanes” of an airspace intrusion aimed at preventing an Iranian civilian aircraft from landing at Sanaa International Airport.

“Houthis in Yemen have threatened to attack Saudi Arabia’s airports and vital assets as the Iran-backed rebels accused the kingdom of an airspace intrusion”

Al Jazeera

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the confrontation occurred at 5:20am (02:20 GMT) as the Iranian aircraft was set to land with “more than 200 stranded, wounded and sick citizens.”

Al Jazeera

Saree added that “Flights between Sanaa and Tehran will continue despite any “possible consequences,”” and said the Houthis were ready for “any options” without providing further details.

The threats came as the conflict between the Houthis and Yemen’s government has been ongoing since 2015, with the rebels controlling the capital Sanaa and much of the north while the internationally recognized government holds much of the south.

In a video statement, Saree warned Saudi Arabia: “Such actions will be met with a comprehensive response targeting its airports and vital interests on land and sea,” after the Houthis said they confronted Saudi warplanes attempting to “infiltrate” Houthi-controlled airspace.

The Oz Arab Media account tied the alleged incident to an Iran-backed narrative that the Saudi warplanes attempted to infiltrate Houthi-controlled airspace at 5:20am (02:20 GMT) just as the Iranian aircraft was set to land with more than 200 stranded, wounded and sick citizens.

Al-Manar TV Lebanon

Al Jazeera reported that Houthi fighters were ready for “any options” and that Saree said their “fingers are on the trigger to implement directives aimed at breaking the Saudi-American siege,” while not giving further details.

The same Al Jazeera reporting said Houthi media earlier reported the aircraft successfully landed and returned to Tehran carrying a Houthi delegation attending the funeral of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in United States-Israeli strikes that triggered the Iran war.

Al Jazeera said the renewed threats came months after the Saudi-backed government and the Houthis agreed to their largest prisoner exchange, confirmed in May, which included seven Saudis.

“Yemen’s Houthis said on Friday its forces confronted Saudi “warplanes” that they said attempted to prevent an Iranian civilian aircraft from landing at Sanaa International Airport, according to a statement by the group’s military spokesperson Yahya Sarea”

Cyprus Mail

The Al Jazeera account also described how fighting between the Houthis and Yemen’s government has largely been frozen since a United Nations-negotiated truce in 2022, even as the rebels and the internationally recognized government remain split across Yemen.

In parallel, the Oz Arab Media account said the threats followed a period of relative calm after that significant prisoner exchange agreement earlier this year, while the conflict has continued since 2015 and produced a devastating humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

The immediate stakes in the reporting centered on whether Saudi Arabia would repeat violations of Yemeni airspace, because Saree said the Houthis would respond “targeting its airports and vital interests on land and sea” and said flights between Sanaa and Tehran would continue.