Yemeni Army targets Sana'a airport to prevent an Iranian plane from landing

Aden, KUNA: The Yemeni Ministry of Defense announced yesterday that the Yemeni Armed Forces targeted the runway of Sanaa International Airport, controlled by Houthi militias, to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing on Yemeni soil. (See page 14)

In a brief statement, the ministry said that Houthi militias, backed by the Iranian regime, prevented Yemeni national flights from landing at Sanaa’s capital airport and insisted that Iranian aviation violate Yemeni airspace. Consequently, the airport runway was targeted.

Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi, in his capacity as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, directed the legitimate government and Yemeni army forces to raise readiness to the highest level and take all measures aimed at protecting Yemeni sovereignty and preventing violations by Iran, holding the Houthi militias responsible for the escalation.

In a separate statement issued earlier, Yemeni Defense Minister Brigadier General Taher al-Aqili affirmed that the Yemeni Armed Forces would confront and deal with hostile Iranian aviation violating Yemeni airspace and sovereignty by all available means.

Al-Alimi stated in his message that the Yemeni state emphasizes that protecting its sovereignty, airspace, and land, sea, and air ports is a national and constitutional duty that allows no laxity under any circumstances.

He added that despite regional and international efforts and mediation to contain the situation, the Houthi militias insisted on proceeding with receiving a new Iranian flight outside the legal and sovereign frameworks governing civil aviation movement, a move reflecting deliberate disregard for state institutions and an outright rejection of all efforts aimed at preventing Yemen from sliding into further escalation.