Saudi Arabia’s air force struck the runway at Houthi-controlled Sanaa International Airport after an Iranian aircraft carrying a Houthi delegation attempted to land in the Yemeni capital, according to a Reuters' reports on Monday. The strike was aimed at preventing the plane from reaching territory controlled by the Iran-backed rebel group, Yemen’s internationally recognized government said.
The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen including Sanaa, accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out the attack and warned that the move would trigger retaliation. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree described the strike as “blatant aggression" and said it marked the end of a period of relative de-escalation in the country’s long-running conflict.
The Yemeni government, however, said its own forces were responsible for targeting the airport runway. Officials said the action was taken after the Houthis allowed an Iranian aircraft to enter Yemeni airspace, which they described as a violation of national sovereignty. The government said it had warned against the flight and ordered evacuations from the area before the strike.
The Iranian aircraft was reportedly carrying senior Houthi officials returning from a visit to Tehran. After the runway was targeted, the plane diverted and landed at Hodeidah International Airport on Yemen’s western coast, according to AP News.
The incident represents a renewed escalation between Yemen’s Saudi-backed government and the Houthi movement, which has maintained close ties with Iran throughout the decade-long civil war. The conflict began in 2014 when the Houthis seized control of Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention the following year in support of the internationally recognized government.