Sanaa, July 19 (IANS) A senior Houthi official warned on Sunday that Saudi Arabia’s “valuable targets” are within range of the group’s forces, and that the Houthis are prepared to “pay the highest price” to end what it calls a blockade imposed on Yemen.
Abdullah Al-Naami, a member of the Houthi Supreme Political Council, told Lebanon-based broadcaster Al Mayadeen that Sanaa International Airport would receive flights “from all countries,” and cautioned that any Saudi attempt to prevent flights to or from the airport would trigger “a comprehensive response.”
Al-Naami also warned that if the United States joined Saudi Arabia in military action against Yemen, Washington would “find itself in a predicament.”
The remarks came amid renewed tensions over the Sanaa airport. On Monday, Yemen’s internationally recognised government struck the runway at the airport to prevent an Iranian aircraft carrying a senior Houthi delegation from landing, forcing it to divert to Hodeidah. The Houthis later claimed missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia’s Abha International Airport, Xinhua News Agency reported.
“Saudi warplanes also launched airstrikes on Hodeidah airport in an attempt to stop the aircraft from landing,” a source claimed.
Subsequently, Yemen’s internationally recognised government ordered the closure of all airports across the country and suspended civilian flight operations until further notice.
The Yemeni Armed Forces claimed responsibility for the strikes on the Sanaa airport, saying it struck the runway, after the Houthis rejected government proposals for the Houthi delegation to return from Tehran aboard a non-Iranian aircraft under government supervision.
The Houthi delegation had travelled to Iran for the funeral ceremonies of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
On Friday, Jordan officially announced an initiative to launch regular commercial flights between Amman and Sanaa, which was welcomed by the Yemeni government but rejected by the Houthis.
Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized control of Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene the following year in support of the Yemeni government.
–IANS
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