The airstrike on the international airport in Yemen's capital Sanaa has once again escalated tensions in the region. The Houthi movement, which controls the north of the country, claimed that Saudi Arabia carried out the attack and described it as 'blatant aggression'.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree threatened retaliation, saying Saudi Arabia would bear the consequences of this attack and that it would not go unanswered. According to the Houthis, this attack ended the de-escalation period.
The Saudi government has not yet responded to these accusations. Meanwhile, the Saudi-backed and internationally recognized Yemeni government decided to close all airports across the country. This decision was reversed hours later, and it was announced that the airports had reopened.
A statement from the Yemeni Ministry of Defense said the runway at Sanaa Airport was targeted to prevent an Iranian plane from landing. A government spokesman explained that the Iranian plane in question later landed at Hodeidah airport, which is under Houthi control. It remains unclear whether there was an attempt to prevent the plane from landing in Hodeidah.
Humanitarian Aid Plane Detained
Information Minister of the internationally recognized government, Moammar bin Mutahar Al-Eryan, reported that the Houthis detained an aircraft belonging to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) at Sanaa Airport and are holding the pilot and co-pilot in custody. ICRC Middle East spokesperson Hachem Osseiran, however, said all staff were safe and the situation was being monitored, refusing to comment further.
It is not yet clear whether the incidents involving the two planes are directly linked. This development comes after a prisoner exchange agreement mediated by the ICRC between the Houthis and the Yemeni government fell through in recent days.
Risk of Regional Conflict and Humanitarian Crisis
Monday's violence jeopardizes the ceasefire in Yemen and regional de-escalation efforts in the context of the Iran war. The Houthis' alliance with Tehran carries the risk of further escalation. Saudi Arabia had remained relatively isolated from the Iran war, but renewed clashes with the Houthis could change that.
Yemen is experiencing one of the world's worst humanitarian crises due to over a decade of civil war and foreign interventions. The conflict, which began with the intervention of the Saudi-led coalition in 2015, has affected millions of people. The 2022 ceasefire had largely held despite the Israel-Gaza war and the Iran war.
Yemen's Defense Minister said diplomatic efforts to persuade Iran and the Houthis to stop Iranian aircraft from violating Yemeni airspace had been exhausted. He held Iran responsible, stating that government forces would respond to any hostile aircraft violating the airspace 'with all available means'.
