Yemen Presidential Council: We Will Take All Measures to Prevent Any New Attempt to Violate Yemen's Sovereignty

The Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council held an emergency meeting chaired by His Excellency President Dr. Rashad Mohammed Al-Alimi, head of the council, attended by all its members: Sultan Al-Arada, Tariq Saleh, Abdulrahman Al-Muharami, Dr. Abdullah Al-Alimi, Othman Majali, Mahmoud Al-Subeihi, and Salem Al-Khanbashi, to discuss national and regional developments and proposed policies to deal with them at all levels.

In the local context, the meeting, attended by the Prime Minister of Yemen Dr. Shaea Al-Zandani, discussed the request submitted by Iran through the command of the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen, to operate a flight of Iran's Mahan Air from Tehran to Sanaa, to return elements of the Houthi terrorist militia who were previously transferred from Sanaa airport, under the militia's control, on July 3, 2026, in a flight that constituted a clear violation of the sovereignty of the Republic of Yemen and a blatant defiance of international law and relevant Security Council resolutions.

In this regard, the council reviewed all the initiatives presented by the Yemeni government to ensure the continuation of civilian flights through Sanaa airport operated by Yemenia Airways, foremost of which is operating regular flights between Sanaa and the Jordanian capital Amman, to alleviate the suffering of citizens, similar to what is practiced in other Yemeni airports under state administration.

The Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council indicated that these humanitarian efforts were met with unilateral measures by the Houthi terrorist militia, most notably the seizure of four Yemenia Airways aircraft in 2024, and the disruption of the national carrier's work, before their military adventures led to dragging the country into the furnace of regional conflicts, destroying those aircraft and causing severe damage to the capabilities of the Yemeni people.

The council affirmed that despite these practices, the Yemeni government continued to present initiatives aimed at operating commercial flights by Yemenia Airways to facilitate passenger movement and alleviate their humanitarian suffering. However, the Houthi militia rejected these initiatives and insisted on disrupting the national carrier, in a step intended to suffocate and besiege the Yemeni people and exacerbate their suffering, and to replace Yemenia Airways with Iran's Mahan Air to operate flights between Sanaa and Tehran, a step that only serves Iranian agendas and perpetuates the use of Yemen as an arena for cross-border blackmail, and the exploitation of the capabilities of the dear Yemeni people to serve the leadership and families of the militia and its subversive project.

The Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council renewed its assertion to the Yemeni people, especially citizens in areas under the forced control of the Houthi militia, that Yemenia Airways is fully ready to resume operating commercial flights from Sanaa airport to the Jordanian capital Amman and to any other agreed destinations, provided that adequate guarantees are in place to protect the aircraft and their crews, and to prevent interference in the company's affairs and its flight operations.

The council also discussed the possibility of returning the Houthi elements via an aircraft chartered by Yemenia Airways, as the sole national carrier, instead of relying on a foreign airline that serves the interests of the Houthi militia and those behind it.

The Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council affirmed that the government and armed forces will take all political, diplomatic, and military measures guaranteed by the constitution and international law, to prevent any new attempt to violate the sovereignty of the Republic of Yemen or impose a fait accompli through operating Iranian flights to Sanaa airport outside the approved legal frameworks, holding Iran and the Houthi militia fully responsible for any repercussions that may result from the continuation of these violations.

The Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council renewed its call on Iran to cease interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Yemen, respect its sovereignty and territorial integrity, stop using Yemen as an arena for regional conflicts, and stop exacerbating the suffering of the Yemeni people and undermining the opportunities for peace and stability that all Yemenis aspire to.