Yemen Condemns Saudi Airstrikes on Sanaa Airport as Ceasefire Violation
Following multiple air raids by Saudi Arabia on Sanaa International Airport, a spokesperson for Yemen’s armed forces announced that the de-escalation phase between the two sides has ended and that the attack “will not go unanswered.” According to local sources, the strikes targeted runways and certain facilities at the airport.
Yahya Sarea, spokesperson for Yemen’s armed forces, confirmed that Saudi warplanes targeted Sanaa airport and warned that any new aggression would be met with a decisive response. He emphasized that this action has halted the process of de-escalation between the parties.
A reporter from Al Masirah network in Sanaa reported that the attacks inflicted damage on the airport’s infrastructure, although detailed assessments of the extent of the damage have not yet been released. Sanaa International Airport is one of Yemen’s most vital air gateways and has repeatedly been targeted in past conflicts.
In response, Khaled Al-Shayef, director of Sanaa International Airport, described targeting a civilian facility as a “grave mistake” and a “war crime,” adding that the Saudi blockade and attacks on Yemen, particularly on this airport, continue unabated.
Mohammed Abdulsalam, spokesperson for the Ansarullah movement and head of the Sanaa government’s negotiating team, also condemned the attacks as a clear violation of the 2022 ceasefire. He stated that since the ceasefire agreement, calls for implementing the roadmap and fully reopening Sanaa Airport have gone unanswered, and proposed solutions to ease restrictions have been rejected.
This attack comes amid previously reported tensions in Yemen’s airspace, including claims by Yemeni forces of intercepting Saudi warplanes attempting to prevent an Iranian passenger plane from landing in Sanaa. Yemeni officials have reaffirmed that flights between Sanaa and Tehran will continue with the aim of breaking the blockade imposed on the airport.
