Houthis Threaten Saudi Arabia over Iranian Flight

The Yemeni Houthis said Friday that their forces had confronted Saudi "warplane" that allegedly attempted to prevent an Iranian civilian aircraft from landing at Sanaa International Airport, according to the group's military spokesman, Yahya Sarea.

The Iran-aligned movement warned that if Saudi Arabia continued its alleged violations of Yemeni airspace, it would target Saudi airports along with key targets on land and at sea. Sari added that flights between Sanaa and Tehran would continue regardless of the consequences.

Al Masirah television, which is controlled by the Houthis, reported that an Iranian aircraft landed in Sanaa on Friday, carrying an official Houthi delegation to Tehran for the funeral of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. More than 200 patients were also on board.

The Saudi-led coalition rejected the Houthis' claims as an attempt to divert attention from their own violations of Yemenis' rights, while warning that it would respond to any attacks decisively and with "unprecedented force".

(Reuters, Lud)