Saudi Arabia Strikes Sanaa Airport; Houthis Strike Abha Airport

Yemen's internationally recognized government said its armed forces struck the runway at Sanaa International Airport on July 13 to prevent an Iranian plane carrying a Houthi delegation from landing. The Houthi movement launched ballistic missiles and drones at Abha International Airport in Saudi Arabia later the same day.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree called the Saudi attacks "blatant aggression" that ended a period of de-escalation and said Saudi Arabia would bear the consequences.

Saree stated that the attack on Sanaa would not go unanswered and warned airlines against flying over Saudi airspace until the blockade on Sanaa International Airport is lifted. Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a leading Houthi, warned in a statement to Al Jazeera of a "siege" on Saudi Arabia and attacks on the country.

Yemen's defense minister said diplomatic efforts to stop Iranian aircraft from violating Yemeni airspace had been exhausted and that forces would respond to any hostile aircraft "by all available means," holding Iran responsible.

Moammar bin Mutahar Al-Eryan, the information minister in the internationally recognized government, said the Houthis were detaining an International Committee of the Red Cross aircraft at Sanaa airport along with its pilot and co-pilot. Yemen's civil war and proxy warfare from outside powers has lasted more than a decade, with the Houthis controlling the capital and the recognized government operating from Aden in the south with Saudi and Gulf state backing.