Saudi Arabia launched multiple airstrikes on the runways of Sanaa International Airport on Monday, 13 July, according to Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV, targeting the Houthi-controlled Yemeni capital at a moment when an Iranian passenger aircraft carrying a senior Houthi delegation was en route from Tehran. There was no immediate confirmation from the Saudi side, and the extent of damage to the airport remains unclear.

The Iranian Flight at the Centre of the Crisis

The aircraft involved is the same Iranian passenger plane that landed at Sanaa International Airport on 4 July, ferrying more than 200 Yemeni patients and stranded passengers from Tehran. It subsequently departed carrying a senior Houthi delegation travelling to attend the funeral ceremonies of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The delegation had insisted on returning aboard the same Iranian aircraft, reportedly rejecting a government proposal to facilitate its return on a different, non-Iranian plane operating under government supervision.

Escalating Warnings Before the Strikes

The strikes were preceded by a series of escalating warnings on both sides. On Sunday, the Houthi group publicly warned Saudi Arabia and Yemen's internationally recognised government against intercepting the returning flight. Earlier on Monday, Yemeni Defence Minister Taher Al-Aqili stated in a televised address that the armed forces would engage any hostile aircraft violating Yemeni airspace — a warning that appeared directed at the Iranian plane. Yemen's armed forces also urged the immediate evacuation of the airport following the strikes.

Notably, as far back as 3 July, the Houthi group claimed its air defence forces had already intercepted Saudi warplanes allegedly attempting to prevent an Iranian civilian aircraft from landing at Sanaa airport — suggesting the standoff over this flight had been building for nearly two weeks.

Houthi Mobilisation in the Background

The airstrikes come amid what observers describe as an intensified Houthi mobilisation campaign, with the group organising tribal gatherings, armed rallies, and public demonstrations across territory under its control. The Houthis have renewed calls to end what they characterise as a Saudi-led blockade, framing the episode around the Iranian flight as part of that broader confrontation.

A Conflict Now in Its Second Decade

Yemen has been engulfed in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized control of Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene the following year in support of the internationally recognised government. The standoff over the Sanaa airport flight represents a fresh flashpoint in a war that has defied repeated diplomatic efforts to reach a durable ceasefire. How the situation at the airport develops — and whether the Iranian aircraft ultimately lands — will be closely watched in the hours ahead.