Yemen/Anadolu

The Jordanian initiative to operate regular flights between the Jordanian capital Amman and the Yemeni capital Sanaa has received Yemeni, Arab, and international welcome.

On Friday, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry announced in a statement an initiative to operate regular flights between Amman and Sanaa, in response to 'humanitarian needs' in Yemen and in support of Saudi efforts regarding 'supporting the peace path' in the country.

The ministry did not specify a start date or frequency for the flights, only noting that work is underway to complete the necessary technical and logistical arrangements for their operation.

The Jordanian step opens a regular air route to Sanaa, which has been under the control of the Houthi group since September 2014, while the internationally recognized Yemeni government is based in the temporary capital Aden.

**Welcome from the Presidential Council and Government in Yemen

In this context, Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi welcomed on Saturday 'the humanitarian initiative put forward by the sisterly Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to resume flights between Sanaa and Amman,' according to official Yemen TV.

Al-Alimi added that the state's response to any initiative that alleviates citizens' suffering does not mean retreating from national goals, accepting any infringement on its sovereignty, or granting legitimacy or political gains to militias at the expense of state institutions.

He continued: 'We deal responsibly with the needs of our people and open every possible window for peace and alleviating suffering, but at the same time we will not give up the state's exclusive right to manage its airspace and airports, and we will not accept that humanitarian initiatives become a cover for imposing a new reality.'

For its part, the Yemeni government welcomed the initiative, which it said came 'out of Jordan's fraternal concern to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people.'

On Friday evening, the government expressed in a statement 'its deep appreciation for Jordan's steadfast position alongside Yemen over the past decades, and for Jordan's notable humanitarian and political contributions, reflecting the depth of fraternal relations between the two brotherly countries and peoples, and its constant concern for Yemen's security, stability, unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.'

The Yemeni government pledged its full commitment to providing all necessary facilities for the success of this initiative, based on its responsibility towards citizens and its belief that protecting the interests of Yemenis and alleviating their suffering is a supreme national priority, inseparable from its constitutional duty to uphold national sovereignty.

It considered that 'this initiative is fully consistent with the initiatives previously proposed by the Yemeni state to operate Sanaa Airport legally and safely through the national carrier, Yemen Airways, to any agreed destination, ensuring service to all citizens without discrimination, preserving the country's sovereignty, respecting national laws, rules of international law, and the state's exclusive jurisdiction over its airspace and all its airports.'

**Saudi Welcome

On the Arab level, the Saudi Foreign Ministry expressed on Saturday in a statement on the American platform 'X' 'the Kingdom's welcome of the initiative announced by the Jordanian Foreign Ministry regarding operating regular commercial flights between Amman and Sanaa, which contributes to meeting the humanitarian needs of the brotherly Yemeni people and facilitating the movement of civilians.'

It also welcomed 'the Yemeni government's approval of this initiative, as a positive step reflecting its keenness to facilitate procedures that serve Yemeni citizens and support efforts aimed at alleviating humanitarian suffering.'

The Saudi Foreign Ministry called on 'the Houthis to positively engage with this initiative instead of repeating their previous decisions that caused increased suffering for the brotherly Yemeni people, and to stop any escalatory practices or actions that drag Yemen and its brotherly people into more suffering.'

Saudi Arabia reiterated its support for all initiatives that contribute to achieving security and stability in Yemen, preserving its sovereignty and fulfilling the aspirations of its brotherly people, according to the statement.

**United Nations Welcome

For his part, UN envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg said in a statement posted on X on Saturday, 'The announcement by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to resume flights between Sanaa and Amman is a welcome initiative.'

Grundberg noted that 'this step would contribute positively to expanding the availability of civilian air travel for Yemenis, which was a fundamental principle of the 2022 truce.'

He cautioned that he 'continues his engagement with all parties to ensure that this step contributes to reaching broader understandings that preserve the gains of the 2022 truce and respond to the urgent and long-term priorities of the Yemeni people.'

The Jordanian announcement comes after tensions in air traffic at Sanaa Airport, following the Yemeni government's announcement last Monday that its forces bombed the airport runway to prevent an Iranian plane from landing, considering that a response to a violation of the country's sovereignty.

The Yemeni government had previously condemned Iran sending a plane to Sanaa on July 3, 2026, saying its aim was 'transporting a Houthi delegation to Tehran.'

That was the first announced Iranian flight to arrive at Sanaa Airport in nearly ten years, according to Yemeni media, while Tehran did not comment on it.

On July 3, the Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah channel reported that a delegation from the group headed to Iran to participate in the funeral ceremonies of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli airstrike on February 28, 2026.