Yemen / Mohammed al-Samai / Anadolu

The Yemeni government announced Monday evening that all the country's airports 'continue to operate normally,' hours after a circular from the General Authority of Civil Aviation and Meteorology reported the closure of airports 'until further notice.'

The Ministry of Transport said in a brief statement carried by the official Yemeni news agency (Saba) that 'all airports in the Republic of Yemen continue to operate normally.'

It added that 'air navigation and flights are proceeding according to approved operational programs,' without providing further details.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation and Meteorology, affiliated with the internationally recognized government, had earlier on Monday announced the closure of all the country's airports to air traffic 'until further notice,' following the targeting of the runway of Sanaa International Airport to prevent an Iranian plane from landing.

The Ministry of Transport did not clarify the circumstances of the previous circular issued by the authority.

This comes hours after the Yemeni Ministry of Defense announced that it had targeted the runway of Sanaa International Airport to prevent an Iranian plane from landing, while the Houthi group considered this development to mean 'the end of de-escalation' in place in the country for years, and threatened that the targeting 'will not pass without a response and punishment.'

In the same context, the head of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, affirmed that his country 'will not allow its airspace to be violated or a fait accompli to be imposed at Sanaa airport or any other airport,' announcing his directives not to expand the confrontation to avoid dragging Yemen into a regional conflict.

This came in a second statement by al-Alimi during the day, published by the Saba news agency, after the government forces announced the targeting of Sanaa airport runway to prevent an Iranian plane from landing.

Al-Alimi said that the Houthi group 'insisted, despite the efforts made by brothers and friends, and the mediation and good offices aimed at containing the situation, on imposing a new fait accompli by receiving a new flight in violation of the law.'

He considered that this constitutes 'a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the Republic of Yemen, a deliberate contempt for state institutions, and an explicit rejection of all efforts that sought to prevent Yemen from sliding into further escalation.'

Al-Alimi added that the armed forces and security agencies were 'on the highest levels of readiness and preparedness,' and carried out 'the necessary defensive measures by targeting the runway of Sanaa airport, to protect national sovereignty.'

Al-Alimi explained that in his capacity as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, he directed, after completing military, security, and political assessments, to 'give priority to protecting civilian lives and preserving public property, and not to expand the scope of confrontation.'

He added that these directives aim to avoid what he described as 'Iran's attempt to drag Yemen and its people into wars that serve its interests, and to use Yemen, land and people, as a card in its regional conflict.'

As of 16:35 GMT, no comment had been issued by Saudi Arabia or the international coalition to support legitimacy, led by Saudi Arabia to back the legitimate Yemeni government, on the statements of the Houthi group.

This is the first announced Iranian flight to arrive at Sanaa airport in about 10 years, according to Yemeni media.

The Yemeni authorities previously condemned what they said was Iran sending a 'Mahan Air' plane to Sanaa on July 3, 2026, to 'transport a Houthi delegation from Sanaa to Tehran.'

Despite intermittent confrontations, Yemen has witnessed since April 2022 a ceasefire in a war that began more than 11 years ago between forces of the legitimate government and elements of the Houthi group, which has controlled provinces and cities, including Sanaa in the north of the country, since September 21, 2014.