Yemeni government forces strike Sanaa airport runway to thwart Iranian flight

Yemen's internationally recognised government said its armed forces targeted the runway at Sanaa International Airport on Monday to prevent an Iranian plane from landing, reviving a long-dormant conflict. The strike was carried out against the Houthi-controlled airport in the capital, which has been under rebel control since 2014.

The Yemeni Defence Ministry accused the Houthis of violating the country's sovereignty by allowing the Iranian aircraft to enter its airspace. According to middleeasteye.net, the Houthis blamed the attack on Saudi Arabia and threatened to respond, with military spokesman Yahya Saree accusing Saudi Arabia of "ending the de-escalation phase and bearing full responsibility for the consequences."

middleeasteye.netYemeni military target airport runway to stop Iranian plane landing

"ending the de-escalation phase and bearing full responsibility for the consequences"

The Saudi-backed Yemeni government has long been locked in a civil war with the Iran-aligned Houthi group. ZeroHedge reported that the government warned its "patience has run out" and that it would respond to any airspace violations, citing growing allegations that Iranian flights have increasingly made use of Yemen's airspace.

ZeroHedgeSaudi Jets Bomb Sanaa International Airport To Stop Iranian Passenger Plane From Landing

"patience has run out"

Despite the attack, reports emerged that the Iranian aircraft managed to land anyway. Mathrubhumi stated that an Iranian plane landed in Yemen despite the airport strike, and the Houthis threatened to respond. Sportstar.thehindu.com added context, noting that the government said it had wanted to prevent the landing after failing to convince a Houthi delegation travelling to Tehran for the late Iranian Supreme Leader's funeral to board a Yemenia flight instead.

2 sources

MathrubhumiIranian aircraft lands in Yemen despite Sanaa airport attack; Houthis threaten responsesportstar.thehindu.comYemen government says attacked Sanaa airport, reviving dormant conflict

The strike has heightened regional tensions, with Crypto Briefing warning that the escalation could lead to increased military confrontations and impact international airspace security. The incident marks a significant uptick in the dormant Yemen conflict, as the Saudi-backed government directly targeted Houthi-controlled infrastructure to block Iranian access.

Crypto BriefingYemeni forces strike Sanaa airport runway to block Iranian plane landing