Yemen’s Ansarallah movement has officially confirmed that Saudi fighter jets targeted Sanaa International Airport with a series of airstrikes. According to an official statement, the bombardment targeted the takeoff and landing runways in a direct attempt to prevent a Yemeni political delegation returning from Iran from landing in the capital. Ansarallah officials noted that while the runways sustained damage, the interception effort failed as the civilian aircraft, an Iranian Mahan Air airliner, safely altered its route and landed at Hodeidah International Airport on the western coast.
The Political Bureau of Ansarallah strongly condemned the targeted bombing, calling it a blatant attack on Yemen’s national sovereignty and a severe violation of international laws and conventions. The bureau stated that the strike exposes ongoing hostility toward the Yemeni people and forms part of systematic efforts to enforce the tight blockade that has been imposed on the country for more than a decade. The leadership further emphasized that the strike was a clear attempt to reimpose external tutelage over the nation and undermine its sovereign decision-making, stressing that policies of force and domination will ultimately fail to subjugate Yemen.
Following the escalation, the Yemeni Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates issued a fiery statement declaring that the actions of the Saudi regime have effectively brought a definitive end to the period of ceasefire and de-escalation. Holding the Saudi government fully responsible for the consequences of restarting active hostilities, the ministry stated that Riyadh has placed itself in a major strategic predicament and will pay a heavy price for its aggression.
The ministry also accused Saudi Arabia of using the years of relative calm to quietly intensify a comprehensive economic war, stating that the blockade was continuously tightened “in an attempt to force the Yemeni people into submission in service of the Zionists.” With this latest development, the ministry declared that Yemen is entering a new phase to fully reclaim its sovereign rights without compromise.
Backing these diplomatic warnings, military spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree confirmed that the strikes on the capital’s airport, the first major aerial assault on Sanaa since 2021 will not go unanswered or unpunished. Saree announced that the period of de-escalation has officially concluded, and future military operations will be carried out to ensure Saudi Arabia bears full responsibility for the consequences of its actions.
Meanwhile, the Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council based in Aden attempted to claim responsibility for the operation, stating that its forces targeted the runway after diplomatic efforts to stop unauthorized flights failed. According to the Aden-based defense ministry, the action was taken to prevent the Iranian airliner from violating Yemeni airspace. Following the exchange, authorities in the south announced the immediate closure of all airports under their control.
The serious confrontation unfolds amid rapidly expanding regional tensions, as Iran has conducted multiple flights to Yemen in recent days, successfully breaking the long-standing blockade. Regional observers warn that the sudden breakdown of the fragile 2022 UN-mediated truce risks plunging the territory back into a full-scale, volatile conflict with far-reaching cross-border consequences.
