OMM Redaksiyası
Yemen’s military said on Saturday that weapons used by the Houthis pose a threat to civilian aircraft and international flight routes in the southern Red Sea.
Military spokesman Majid al-Nazili said the Houthis had converted Iranian air-defence weapons into “cruise” missiles launched from western Hodeidah province towards international air corridors, according to the original report.
He claimed the missiles could remain airborne for up to 25 minutes and use heat-seeking guidance, making them incapable of distinguishing between military and civilian targets.
Yemen warns of risks to commercial and humanitarian flights
Al-Nazili said the weapons could endanger commercial aircraft, as well as flights operated by the United Nations and humanitarian organisations in Yemen and the wider region.
He described the alleged deployment as a serious escalation that extended beyond Yemeni airspace and threatened international aviation routes.
The spokesman also linked the development to recent threats by senior Iranian officials to disrupt aviation services in the region following sanctions imposed on Iranian airlines.
Call for international aviation bodies to act
Al-Nazili called on international aviation organisations, including the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Air Transport Association, to take action.
The Houthis and Iran did not immediately comment on the Yemeni military’s claims.
Conflict and Red Sea tensions
Yemen has been embroiled in conflict since the Houthi group seized the capital Sanaa and several provinces in 2014. A Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened in 2015 in support of the internationally recognised government.
Fighting resumed in July after the group declared a maritime blockade on Riyadh. The Houthis have recently claimed advances along the Red Sea coast and the Bab el-Mandab Strait, and have also targeted Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure.
