Yemeni president vows to block unauthorized flights after airport strike

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - ADEN — Yemeni President Rashad Al-Alimi on Monday vowed that no aircraft would be allowed to violate the country's airspace after government forces struck the runway of Houthi-controlled Sanaa International Airport, accusing the group of undermining peace efforts and violating Yemen's sovereignty.

In a statement, Al-Alimi said the Houthis ignored regional and international mediation efforts and insisted on receiving an illegal flight in defiance of state authority.

He said Yemeni armed forces carried out a defensive strike on the airport's runway to protect national sovereignty and prevent "the imposition of a new fait accompli" outside the framework of the constitution and the law.

Al-Alimi said he had instructed the military to prioritize the protection of civilians and public property and to avoid expanding the conflict, while accusing Iran of seeking to drag Yemen into a wider regional war.

He also declared that the government "will not allow any aircraft in the future to violate Yemeni airspace," whether at Sanaa airport or any other airport, and pledged to deter any attempt to undermine state sovereignty.

The president blamed the Houthis for rejecting government proposals to continue civilian flights through Yemenia Airways, the country's national carrier, and said the group bore full responsibility for the latest escalation. He also accused Iran of enabling Houthi actions in violation of international law and U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Al-Alimi said he had called an emergency meeting of the Presidential Leadership Council to assess the situation and directed government institutions, the armed forces and security agencies to maintain the highest level of readiness.

He also urged the international community, particularly the U.N. Security Council, to move beyond condemnation and enforce international resolutions, including arms embargo measures, to deter further violations.

Meanwhile, an Iranian aircraft landed Monday at Al Hudaydah Airport on Yemen's Red Sea coast after Yemeni forces targeted the runway at Sanaa airport to prevent it from landing there, according to Iranian state media.

Press TV reported that the aircraft was diverted to Al Hudaydah after the strike on Sanaa's runway.

Earlier, Yemen's Defense Ministry said government forces had targeted the runway after the Houthis prevented Yemeni civilian aircraft from landing and allowed the Iranian plane to enter Yemeni airspace "in violation of Yemeni sovereignty."