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Houthis Say Saudi Warplanes Targeted Iranian Plane Near Sanaa
Yemeni armed forces reported firing air-defense missiles at Saudi aircraft they said entered Yemeni airspace to block an Iranian civilian flight. The plane carried more than 200 passengers and later returned to Tehran.
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Yemeni armed forces announced Friday that they fired air-defense missiles at Saudi warplanes they said had entered Yemeni airspace near Sanaa airport. The action was taken, they stated, to prevent the Saudi aircraft from interfering with an Iranian civilian plane attempting to land.
A spokesman for the Yemeni armed forces said the Saudi planes withdrew after the missiles were launched. He added that the Iranian aircraft carried more than 200 Yemeni citizens who had been stranded in Iran, including individuals described as sick or wounded.
The spokesman warned that any further attempt by Saudi forces to violate Yemeni airspace would be met with a response targeting Saudi airports and other interests. He also said the armed forces remain prepared to follow directives from the Ansarallah leadership.
The Iranian plane landed in Sanaa and later returned to Tehran carrying a Yemeni delegation. The flight was described as part of efforts to transport passengers and ease restrictions on movement. Since 2015, Saudi Arabia has maintained limits on access to Yemen's ports and airspace.
Those measures were partially eased after talks in April 2023 between Saudi officials and the Ansarallah movement.
