Yemen's Houthis threaten Saudi Arabia after alleged airspace intrusion

Yemen's Houthis threatened on Friday to strike Saudi airports and vital assets should Riyadh violate its airspace or attempt to attack it. The rebels accused the kingdom of trying to stop an Iranian plane from landing in Sanaa. The threat followed a period of relative calm between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed rebels.

What did the Houthis say about Saudi Arabia?

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree warned Saudi Arabia against violating Yemeni airspace or attacking the country. He said any such action would be met with a comprehensive response targeting Saudi airports and vital interests on land and sea. The warning came in a video statement released on Friday.

Why are the Houthis threatening Saudi Arabia now?

Saree said the rebels thwarted an attempt by Saudi warplanes to enter their airspace at 5:20 am (0220 GMT). He said the incursion aimed to prevent an Iranian civilian aircraft carrying more than 200 stranded, wounded and sick citizens from landing at Sanaa International Airport. Houthi media reported earlier that the aircraft had turned back to Tehran.

The aircraft was carrying a Houthi delegation meant to attend the funeral of Iran's former supreme leader, who was killed in US-Israeli strikes that triggered the Middle East war. The rebels said their fighters were ready for any options and that they remained prepared to act against what they called the Saudi-American siege, without giving further details.

How have Saudi Arabia and the Houthis interacted recently?

The renewed threats came months after the Saudi-backed government and the Houthis agreed to their largest prisoner exchange, confirmed in May. The exchange included seven Saudi nationals. Relations between Riyadh and the rebels had remained relatively calm, as the Houthis avoided targeting Gulf states during the Middle East war that saw Iran strike its oil-rich neighbors.

What is the background of the Yemen conflict?

The Houthis have been at war with Yemen's government since 2015, in a conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of people and triggered a major humanitarian crisis. The rebels control the capital Sanaa and much of the north, including most population centers, while the internationally recognized government holds much of the south. Fighting between the two sides has largely been frozen since a UN-negotiated truce in 2022.