Houthi military officials announced they carried out strikes against Abha International Airport in Saudi Arabia using missiles and unmanned aircraft, characterizing the action as retaliation for earlier Saudi airstrikes on Sanaa International Airport in Yemen. The Houthis attributed the Saudi strikes to efforts aimed at preventing an Iranian aircraft from landing in Sanaa. Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree issued warnings to airlines against operating through Saudi airspace and said the attacks would continue until a blockade on Sanaa International Airport is lifted.
Saudi officials stated their air defenses successfully intercepted ballistic missiles directed toward the southern region but provided limited additional details about the incident. Yemen’s defense minister indicated the strikes on Sanaa’s runway were intended to prevent an Iranian aircraft carrying a Houthi delegation from returning from the funeral of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Houthis stated the aircraft was diverted to Hodeida Airport instead.
The escalation marked a significant departure from a period of relative calm that had prevailed since a UN-brokered ceasefire took effect in 2022. The immediate trigger involved disagreements over Iranian civilian aviation operating in Yemeni airspace, with Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council rejecting a request from Mahan Air to operate flights between Tehran and Sanaa. The council stated the Houthis had sought to receive the Iranian flight outside established legal frameworks governing civil aviation.
The confrontation reflected broader tensions stemming from Yemen’s ongoing civil conflict, which began in 2014 following a Houthi takeover of the capital and much of the north. A Saudi-led coalition, including the United Arab Emirates, intervened the following year to restore Yemen’s internationally recognized government. The UN’s special envoy for Yemen expressed concern about potential wider escalation and called for dialogue to preserve the stability achieved since 2022.