BlockBeats News, July 13th - According to Reuters, Houthi rebels in Yemen have accused Saudi Arabia of launching an airstrike on Sanaa International Airport, claiming that the attack was aimed at preventing an Iranian plane from landing. The Houthi rebels stated that this was the first publicly announced direct flight from Iran to Sanaa in nearly a decade. Saudi Arabia has not yet confirmed carrying out the airstrike.

Houthi rebel spokesperson Yahya Saree stated that Saudi Arabia had carried out several airstrikes on Sanaa airport, indicating that the de-escalation phase between the two parties had ended. He warned that Saudi Arabia would face the consequences. The Houthi rebels then announced a full mobilization and warned that if subjected to further military strikes, they might launch attacks on Saudi airports and strategic facilities.

Reports indicate that the incident occurred shortly after an Iranian passenger plane arrived at Sanaa airport. The Yemeni government and the Saudi-led coalition believe that the flight is linked to the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, in violation of relevant UN resolutions. However, the Houthi rebels claim that the flight was part of a civil and humanitarian mission. Analysts believe that this incident may further destabilize the relatively fragile ceasefire since 2022 and increase the security risks in Red Sea shipping.