Airstrike on Sanaa Airport Escalates Conflict Between Yemeni Government and Houthi Militia

Yemeni Government Claims Responsibility

Sources in Yemeni air traffic said that the Houthis, for their part, had denied an aircraft belonging to the national Yemeni airline permission to land at Sanaa airport and had instead insisted on the landing of an Iranian aircraft. The Iranian aircraft has since landed at the airport in the port city of Hodeidah, which is also controlled by the Houthis.

The information minister of the internationally recognized Yemeni government, Muammar al-Erjani, said the Houthis had prevented the departure of an aircraft belonging to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) at the capital's Sanaa airport and had taken the pilot and his assistant hostage. Al-Erjani spoke of a "dangerous escalation" and a "shameless violation of international humanitarian law." The Houthis and the ICRC initially did not comment.

Houthis Announce Retaliation and Detain ICRC Staff

A Houthi spokesman announced retaliation following the attack on the airport: "This aggression will not go unanswered." Saudi Arabia must bear the consequences of its aggression, he said. The Houthis also accused Riyadh of breaking international law with the attacks.

Yemen has been embroiled in a civil war for more than ten years, and the country is effectively split. The Houthis overran the poor country on the Arabian Peninsula in 2014. The Saudi-backed government controls the south, based in Aden, while the Houthi militia controls the north, including the capital. A ceasefire came into effect in 2022, though smaller clashes continue. They have built state-like structures and, according to UN experts and the United States, have become increasingly armed with Iran's help.

Background: Civil War and Regional Tensions

The incident comes amid a phase of heightened tensions in the region. A ceasefire had been in place in the conflict over the Iranian nuclear program since the beginning of April; however, US President Donald Trump said the previous week that the ceasefire was over. The United States said it had struck dozens of Iranian targets overnight on Monday, including air defense systems and radar installations. Iran's Revolutionary Guard, in turn, reported attacks on US military positions in Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman.

In the weeks prior, there had also been repeated mutual attacks in the dispute over the Strait of Hormuz, which is of considerable significance to the global economy. Germany, France, and Great Britain condemned the Iranian attacks and called for the "restoration of the ceasefire and the resumption of negotiations" between the United States and Iran. In a joint statement, they said that "respect for sovereignty over territorial waters and freedom of navigation are fundamental principles of international law."

Saudi Arabia supports the internationally recognized Yemeni government. The Houthis repeatedly accuse the kingdom of militarily intervening in the Yemeni conflict. Regardless of whether the attack on Sanaa airport came from the Saudi or the Yemeni side, the situation threatens to escalate further. The Houthis have announced retaliation, putting further pressure on the fragile 2022 ceasefire.