Disputes between the Yemeni government and the Houthi group over Iranian flights to Sanaa airport reached their peak after the Yemeni Defense Ministry announced bombing the airport runway to thwart an attempt by an Iranian plane heading to the capital without complying with legal and sovereign procedures.

These developments come amid the fragile truce sponsored by the United Nations since 2022, which has seen repeated violations by the Houthis.

Analysts fear that Tehran is seeking to provoke the Houthis into escalating the situation and sabotaging the UN-brokered truce, while the Yemeni presidency and government have stressed raising their readiness in political, military, and diplomatic fields to face any developments, while ensuring matters do not slide into a large-scale military confrontation.

The Yemeni move came days after official warnings in which the government rejected any flights to Sanaa airport that do not pass through state institutions, affirming its readiness to provide alternatives to ensure the continuation of civil aviation through the national carrier.

While Houthi sources reported that the plane carrying a delegation from the group later landed at Hodeidah airport, Yemeni authorities held the group responsible for the escalation, accusing it of insisting on imposing aviation arrangements outside approved frameworks.

A circulated photo of the Iranian plane after its arrival at Hodeidah airport (EPA)

This measure represents the first field step by the Yemeni government since the dispute erupted over the Houthis' insistence on receiving Iranian planes at Sanaa airport, despite the government's refusal to allow any flights that do not go through legal channels and its proposal of alternative options aimed at maintaining civil air traffic while preserving state sovereignty.

The Defense Ministry said in a brief statement that the armed forces targeted the airport runway after "the Houthi terrorist militias, backed by the Iranian regime, prevented the Yemeni national airline from landing at Sanaa airport and insisted that Iranian aviation violate Yemeni territory," affirming that the operation aimed to prevent the Iranian plane from landing.

The ministry had previously issued a public warning calling on citizens to evacuate Sanaa International Airport and not approach its vicinity, stating it would deal with any party or aircraft attempting to breach Yemeni airspace or violate procedures and instructions issued by competent authorities.

It explained that these measures come to ensure the safety of citizens and take necessary precautionary steps to face potential security developments, affirming the armed forces' readiness to deal with any field developments to preserve national sovereignty and safeguard the country's security and stability.

Presidential Statement First

The military move came after a statement by the Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council, Dr. Rashad al-Alimi, in which he held the Houthis fully responsible for the escalation, affirming that the group insisted on receiving a new Iranian flight despite efforts by brothers and friends, and despite mediations seeking to contain the crisis and prevent it from slipping into further tension.

Al-Alimi said the government had exhausted all political and legal options before reaching this stage, explaining that it offered to resume civilian flights through Yemen Airways as the legally authorized national carrier, and also proposed transporting the Houthi delegation from Tehran to Sanaa on a plane chartered by the national company, ensuring the continued operation of the airport while respecting Yemeni sovereignty and its international obligations.

But the Houthis - according to the statement - rejected all those initiatives and insisted on receiving the Iranian plane outside state institutions, which the Yemeni president considered evidence that the group's goal is not to serve citizens or alleviate their suffering, but rather to entrench division and impose a fait accompli serving external agendas.

Al-Alimi also considered that the Iranian regime's continued support for these steps and its use of means and companies subject to international sanctions does not change the fact that the Houthis bear direct responsibility for the escalation, affirming that the Yemeni state will not allow its desire for peace to be used as a cover to undermine its sovereignty.

In light of these developments, the Chairman of the Leadership Council directed the government, armed forces, and security agencies to raise the highest levels of readiness and take all political, diplomatic, legal, and military measures permitted by the constitution and international law to protect the airspace and land, sea, and air ports.

Government in Permanent Session

Against the backdrop of this escalation, the Yemeni Cabinet held an extraordinary session in the interim capital Aden, chaired by Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dr. Shai' al-Zindani, dedicated to discussing developments resulting from the reception of the new Iranian flight at Sanaa airport.

The Cabinet affirmed that the government had exhausted all initiatives aimed at sparing Yemen and the region further escalation, but the Houthis continued to reject legal solutions and invite external interference.

Houthi elements during a rally in Sanaa in solidarity with Iran (EPA)

The Cabinet announced keeping the government in permanent session to follow up on the crisis developments and take necessary decisions urgently, and also approved the formation of a government crisis management team to coordinate military, political, diplomatic, legal, and media efforts, while following up on developments and submitting periodic reports to ensure rapid response.

The Council directed the Ministries of Defense and Interior and all relevant authorities to raise the level of readiness and enable the armed forces and security agencies to carry out their constitutional duties in protecting the republic's sovereignty, defending its airspace and ports, and preventing any attempt to impose facts contrary to the constitution and law.

Avoiding Expanding Confrontation

In a second statement, Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council Rashad al-Alimi said that the measures taken by the armed forces came after completing military, security, and political assessments, affirming that the priority was to protect civilian lives and public property and avoid expanding the scope of confrontation in a way that serves what he described as Iranian goals of using Yemen as an arena for its regional conflicts.

Al-Alimi affirmed that the state will not allow any aircraft to violate Yemeni airspace in the future, whether through Sanaa airport or any other airport, stressing that any attempt to impose a fait accompli affecting the country's sovereignty will be met with measures guaranteed by the constitution and law.

He explained that the decision to deal with the developments was not a retreat from the duty to protect sovereignty, but a responsible sovereign decision taken from a position of confidence in the capabilities of the armed forces, and after proving the readiness of state institutions to defend its territory and airspace, while ensuring that Yemenis are spared the repercussions of escalation.

The head of the Yemeni governing council reiterated that the government was and remains most keen on the continued operation of Sanaa airport in a legal and safe manner, pointing to the initiatives it put forward to operate flights through Yemen Airways, in addition to its readiness to facilitate the transport of the Houthi delegation on a plane chartered by the national company.

Al-Alimi accused the Houthis of rejecting government initiatives and insisting on imposing arrangements that serve their agendas, holding the group directly responsible for the escalation, and holding Iran responsible for its continued support for these practices, which he said violate Yemen's sovereignty and Security Council resolutions.