(ANKARA) - Sanaa International Airport, controlled by the Houthis in Yemen, was the target of an attack by forces affiliated with the Saudi Arabia-backed Aden government. While the Houthis argued that the attack, which aimed to prevent the landing of a civilian plane from Iran, violated international law, Aden claimed that the Iranian plane violated Yemeni airspace. Following the incident, the Houthis announced that they launched missile and UAV attacks on targets in Saudi Arabia.
Forces affiliated with the Saudi Arabia-backed Aden government hit the airport's runway on Monday to prevent the plane coming from Iran and carrying the Houthi delegation from landing in Sanaa.
In its statement, the Aden government said, "The Houthi militia, supported by the Iranian regime, prevented the planes of the Yemeni national airline company from landing at the airport in the capital Sanaa and insisted that the Iranian plane violated Yemeni airspace. For this reason, the airport's runway was targeted."
Before the attack, the Ministry of Defense of the Aden government called on civilians, airport employees, diplomatic representatives and humanitarian organizations to evacuate the airport and its surroundings until further notice.
Later in the day, the Houthis announced that the Iranian plane carrying the delegation returning from Tehran had landed safely in the Houthi-controlled city of Hodeida on the Red Sea coast.
Houthi-owned Al-Mesirah television quoted the Minister of Transport of the Sanaa government as saying, "The Iranian plane landed on the country's territory, carrying patients receiving treatment and stranded citizens, together with the official Yemeni delegation."
The Sanaa administration, controlled by the Houthis, announced that they would retaliate, claiming that Saudi Arabia was behind the attack. Houthis' military spokesman Yahya Seri said, "This attack will not go unanswered and unpunished."
Iran also condemned the attack. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ismail Bakei said in a statement to the state news agency IRNA that the attack was a "clear violation of international law, the United Nations Charter and Yemen's sovereignty and territorial integrity." Saudi Arabian authorities have not yet made an official statement about the attacks.
HUSIES: WE TARGETED ABHA AIRPORT
In the evening, the military coalition supporting the Aden government, led by Saudi Arabia, announced that the ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis to the south of the country were blocked by air defense systems.
Coalition Spokesperson Turki al-Maliki said, "Air defense systems successfully prevented the ballistic missile threat directed by Houthi forces to the south of the country."
Following this, the Houthis announced that they targeted Abha International Airport in the south of Saudi Arabia with ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Houthis' military spokesman Yahya Seri also called on all airline companies not to use Saudi Arabian airspace until the blockade of Sanaa International Airport is lifted.
UN Special Representative for Yemen Hans Grundberg called on all parties for moderation and stated that his office is in contact with the parties to prevent tensions from escalating. "We call on the parties to reduce tensions and avoid any steps that could trigger a new cycle of violence in Yemen," Grundberg said. he said.
The political crisis in Yemen deepened during the post-Arab Spring transition period in 2012. Ali Abdullah Saleh, who ruled Yemen for nearly 34 years, agreed to hand over his duties to his deputy, US Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, within the scope of the transition plan prepared under the mediation of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) after the Arab Spring protests in 2011. Hadi became president in a single-candidate transitional election held in 2012.
While the Houthis took control of the capital Sana'a in 2014, Hadi moved to Aden in early 2015, withdrew his resignation and declared that he was the legitimate president. Thereupon, the coalition led by Saudi Arabia intervened militarily in Yemen in March 2015 to support the Hadi government.
The war, which has been going on for many years, has led to the displacement of millions of people, severe destruction and famine, and is considered by the United Nations as one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.