Houthis accuse Saudi Arabia of striking Sanaa airport to block Iranian plane

Yemen's Houthi group accused Saudi Arabia on Monday of launching airstrikes on Sanaa International Airport to prevent an Iranian plane from landing. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree stated, "In an unjust aggression, the Saudi enemy carried out several airstrikes against Sanaa International Airport," adding that this action "has ended the phase of de-escalation." The Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah television reported that the strikes targeted the airport's runways. This alleged attack would represent an escalation by Riyadh, which has largely maintained relative calm with the Houthis since 2022. Iran's Fars News Agency reported that an Iranian passenger aircraft had landed and departed Sanaa hours before the alleged strikes. Separately, the Houthis claimed to have detained an International Committee of the Red Cross aircraft and its pilots at the airport.