Houthis warn Saudi sites could be targeted after airspace claim
Yemen’s Houthis accused Saudi aircraft of interfering with an Iranian civilian plane bound for Sanaa and threatened retaliation.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
2 min read
Yemen’s Houthis warned Saudi Arabia on Friday that they could strike airports and other key sites if Riyadh violates Yemeni airspace or attacks the country. The warning raises tensions around Sanaa’s airport and the limited air links the group maintains with Iran.
The Houthi-aligned Yemeni armed forces said they had confronted Saudi “warplanes” that they claimed tried to stop an Iranian civilian aircraft from landing at Sanaa International Airport. The Houthis did not report damage or casualties in the account.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a video statement that Saudi Arabia should not repeat any airspace violation or attack against Yemen. He said any such move would draw a broad response against Saudi airports and “vital interests” on land and at sea.
Saree also said flights between Sanaa and Tehran would continue despite what he described as possible consequences. The statement signaled that the Houthis do not intend to suspend the route after the alleged incident.
Houthi media reported earlier that the Iranian aircraft did land successfully in Sanaa. The same reports said the plane later returned to Tehran carrying a Houthi delegation traveling to attend the funeral of Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Houthi media said Khamenei was killed in United States-Israeli strikes that triggered the Iran war. No Saudi comment was included in the Houthi account of the alleged airspace incident.
Al Jazeera described the Houthis as Iran-backed rebels. The group controls Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, and has frequently used official military statements to announce threats or operations involving regional rivals.
The latest warning focused on Saudi Arabia’s civilian and economic infrastructure, including airports and maritime interests. Saree framed those targets as potential retaliation if the Houthis determine that Saudi forces have again interfered with Yemeni airspace or carried out an attack.
The aircraft at the center of the dispute was described by the Houthis as a civilian Iranian plane. Their account said Saudi warplanes attempted to prevent its arrival, while Houthi media said the landing went ahead.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.