Yemen entered a new phase of escalation on Monday after an Iranian aircraft operated by “Mahan Air” violated the country’s airspace for the second time in ten days and attempted to land at Sana’a Airport, which is controlled by the Houthi group, without the approval of the internationally recognized government. The incident prompted the Yemeni Armed Forces to strike the airport’s runway, forcing the aircraft to change course and land at Hodeidah Airport.
Developments accelerated later as the Yemeni government announced that it would remain in continuous session, formed a crisis management team, and temporarily closed all airports across the country. Meanwhile, the Houthi group launched ballistic missiles and drones toward southern Saudi Arabia, claiming to have targeted Abha Airport, while the Coalition to Support Legitimacy announced that air defenses had responded to missiles fired by the Iran-backed group toward the southern region.
Second Violation in Ten Days
The developments began on Monday morning when an Iranian aircraft operating flight “IRM1199”, with the flight code “W51199”, took off from Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran at 10:20 a.m. Iran time, without its destination being listed in the flight data.
The aircraft, an “Airbus A340-313” registered as “EP-MMC”, is operated by Iran’s “Mahan Air”, which had previously flown to Sana’a Airport on July 3 without obtaining authorization from the internationally recognized government.
Flight-tracking data showed that the aircraft entered Yemeni airspace from the direction of Mukalla in Hadramout Governorate, despite repeated government warnings to Iran and the Houthi group against operating flights outside the sovereign and legal procedures governing air traffic to and from the country.
The latest violation came ten days after the first Iranian aircraft arrived in Sana’a, in a move the Presidential Leadership Council described as a violation of national sovereignty and international law, warning against its recurrence.
The Council had offered to facilitate the transportation of Houthi members stranded in Iran aboard an aircraft chartered by Yemenia Airways, instead of allowing an Iranian company to operate the flight directly. The group, however, insisted on receiving an aircraft operated by “Mahan Air”.
Houthi-affiliated media outlets said the flight was carrying patients, stranded travelers, and a delegation from the group that had participated in the funeral ceremonies of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Military Warning and Strike on Sana’a Airport Runway
As the aircraft entered Yemeni airspace, Defense Minister Lieutenant General Taher al-Aqili announced that the government’s patience over repeated Iranian violations had run out, threatening to confront any aircraft violating the country’s sovereignty using all available means.
In a statement issued on behalf of the Armed Forces, al-Aqili said the government had attempted, in cooperation with the regional and international communities and through diplomatic and legal means, to persuade the Iranian regime and the Houthi militia not to violate Yemeni airspace.
He added that the latest violation “was not the first”, but differed from previous incidents in the degree to which it challenged international legitimacy. He stressed that the Armed Forces would deliver “the appropriate response” and deal with any aircraft violating Yemeni airspace and sovereignty “using all available means”.
The defense minister held the Iranian regime legally and morally responsible for the consequences of the violation, stressing that the Armed Forces would defend Yemen “on land, at sea, and in the air, regardless of the consequences”.
Following the warning, the Ministry of Defense called on civilians to evacuate Sana’a International Airport and stay away from the surrounding area, warning that it would deal with any party or aircraft attempting to enter Yemeni airspace or violate instructions issued by the relevant authorities.
The Armed Forces subsequently announced that they had targeted the runway at Sana’a Airport to prevent the Iranian aircraft from landing, explaining that the Houthi group had prevented Yemen’s national carrier from using the airport while insisting on receiving Iranian flights outside official channels.
The runway strike prevented the Iranian aircraft from landing in Sana’a, forcing it to change course and later land at Hodeidah Airport on the Red Sea coast, which is also controlled by the group.
Al-Alimi Raises Readiness as Government Remains in Continuous Session
Following the runway strike, Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council Rashad al-Alimi said the Houthi group had insisted on receiving another Iranian flight despite regional and international mediation and efforts to contain the escalation.
He stressed that the government had expressed its readiness to resume civilian flights to and from Sana’a Airport through Yemenia Airways, as the legally authorized national carrier, and had also offered to facilitate the transportation of the group’s members from Tehran aboard an aircraft chartered by the company.
He added that the Houthis’ rejection of the government initiatives and their insistence on receiving the Iranian flight confirmed that the group’s objective was not to alleviate the suffering of civilians, but rather to impose a fait accompli outside state institutions, entrench division, and invite foreign intervention.
Al-Alimi instructed the government, Armed Forces, and security agencies to raise their levels of readiness and vigilance to the highest degree and take political, diplomatic, and legal measures, as well as legitimate action, to protect Yemen’s airspace and its land, sea, and air entry points.
He also called on the international community to move from condemnation to deterrence, enforce UN Security Council resolutions, particularly Resolutions 2140 and 2216, and implement the sanctions regime to prevent repeated violations of Yemeni sovereignty from becoming an established reality.
In the interim capital, Aden, the Cabinet held an extraordinary meeting chaired by Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Shaya Mohsin al-Zindani. It decided to remain in continuous session to monitor the crisis and take the necessary measures to protect the state’s sovereignty.
The Cabinet approved the formation of a government crisis management team tasked with coordinating military, political, diplomatic, legal, and media efforts, continuously monitoring developments, and submitting periodic reports.
It instructed the ministries of defense and interior and the relevant authorities to raise their levels of readiness and preparedness to the highest degree and enable the Armed Forces and security agencies to protect Yemen’s airspace, territory, and entry points.
The Cabinet also tasked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with intensifying contacts with countries and regional and international organizations and urging them not to allow their airspace, territory, or facilities to be used to operate flights to Yemen outside the officially approved channels.
Airport Closures and Flights Diverted to Djibouti
Amid the escalation, the General Authority of Civil Aviation and Meteorology announced the closure of all airports in the Republic of Yemen to air traffic until further notice, in a precautionary measure that took effect immediately.
The circular was issued from the Authority’s headquarters in Aden at 12:37 p.m. UTC, corresponding to 3:37 p.m. Yemen time. It coincided with the suspension of air traffic at Aden International Airport and the diversion of two Yemenia Airways aircraft arriving from Jeddah and Cairo to Djibouti Airport.
An aircraft stationed at Aden Airport was also transferred to Djibouti, while instructions were issued to move Yemeni aircraft outside the country and suspend flights to and from the airports of Aden, Seiyun, and Riyan.
“Aden Airways” also announced the temporary suspension of all its flights in compliance with the Authority’s circular, pending new instructions from the relevant authorities.
Approximately one hour and 23 minutes later, the Authority issued a new circular at 2:00 p.m. UTC, announcing that all airports in the Republic of Yemen had resumed operations at full operational readiness and cancelling the previous closure decision.
UN Envoy Calls for De-escalation
UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg expressed concern over developments involving Yemeni airspace and airports and the risk of a broader escalation, calling on the parties to refrain from taking measures that could trigger a new round of violence.
Grundberg said he was conducting intensive contacts with all parties and that his office had communicated with military representatives from different sides. He called for dialogue and negotiations under UN auspices to preserve the relative calm Yemen has experienced since 2022.
The UN envoy’s statement did not address the Iranian aircraft’s violation of Yemeni airspace for the second time in ten days or the Houthi group’s insistence on receiving it without the approval of the relevant authorities. Nor did it name Iran or the group as the two parties the Yemeni government held responsible for the escalation.
Grundberg had previously refrained from issuing a public position on the arrival of the first Iranian aircraft in Sana’a on July 3 without government authorization.
Houthis Attribute the Strike to Saudi Arabia
The Houthi group, meanwhile, quickly attributed the strike on Sana’a Airport’s runway to Saudi Arabia, despite the Yemeni Ministry of Defense’s announcement that the Armed Forces were responsible for the operation and its confirmation that the objective was to prevent the Iranian aircraft from landing.
The group’s military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, claimed that Saudi aircraft had carried out several strikes on the airport and said the group’s forces had engaged them.
The transport and foreign ministries in the group’s unrecognized government, along with the Houthi Political Bureau, also issued statements holding Saudi Arabia responsible for the escalation. Mohammed Abdulsalam, head of the group’s negotiating delegation, described the runway strike as marking the end of the de-escalation phase and threatened retaliation.
The group’s statements ignored the Iranian aircraft’s entry into Yemeni airspace without government approval and made no mention of the warnings and initiatives preceding the flight, including the offer to transport Houthi members aboard an aircraft chartered by Yemenia Airways.
Houthi Attack Toward Southern Saudi Arabia
Several hours after the strike on Sana’a Airport’s runway, spokesperson for the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki al-Maliki announced that air defenses had responded to a ballistic missile threat launched by the Houthi group toward Saudi Arabia’s southern region.
Al-Maliki did not provide details regarding the number of missiles or the outcome of the interception operations. Local sources, however, reported that the group had launched ballistic missiles and drones from sites in Saada Governorate toward Saudi territory.
In a subsequent statement, the Houthi group announced that it had carried out a military operation targeting Abha International Airport with several ballistic missiles and drones, claiming that the operation had achieved its objectives.
The group warned airlines against flying through Saudi airspace and thanked Iran for operating flights to areas under its control, in a public acknowledgment of Iranian support for the flights that the Yemeni government described as a violation of the country’s sovereignty.
Within hours, the escalation thus shifted from an Iranian airspace violation and an attempt to impose an unauthorized flight on Sana’a Airport to a direct confrontation involving a strike on the airport runway and the temporary closure of Yemeni airports. Its repercussions later extended to the Houthis launching missiles toward southern Saudi Arabia, amid fears that the fragile de-escalation could collapse and a new round of regional confrontation could erupt on Yemeni territory.
