Yemen’s Houthis threaten Saudi targets over Iran flight to Sanaa

Yemen’s Houthis said on July 3 its forces confronted Saudi “warplanes” that they said attempted to prevent an Iranian civilian aircraft from landing at Sanaa International Airport, according to a statement by the group’s military spokesperson Yahya Sarea.

The Iran-aligned group warned that they would target “Saudi airports and vital interests on land and sea” if the Saudis continue what Sarea called violations of Yemeni airspace.

Flights between Sanaa and Tehran will continue despite any “possible consequences,” he added.

On July 3, Houthi-run Al Masirah TV said that an Iranian aircraft arrived in Sanaa and flew the group’s official delegation to Tehran to attend the funeral of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. More than 200 patients were among other passengers on board.

Saudi Arabia led a military coalition that intervened in Yemen in 2015 after the Iran-aligned Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa.

Early on July 4, the Saudi-led coalition said the statements by the Houthis against the Kingdom was an attempt to “divert attention away” from the group’s “violations” against the Yemeni people.

It warned that it would respond firmly and with “unprecedented force” to any attempts to target the kingdom or violations to Yemen’s sovereignty.

The Houthis have demonstrated their missile and drone capabilities during the Yemen war in attacks on Saudi Arabia targeting oil installations and vital infrastructure. REUTERS