Yemeni Army: Iranian Weapons in the Hands of Houthis Threaten Aviation South of the Red Sea

- The armed forces affiliated with the internationally recognized Yemeni government stated on Saturday that they have detected the possession of high-tech Iranian air defense weapons by the Ansar Allah group (Houthis), which turns the southern Red Sea area "into a threat zone for civilian aircraft and travelers." This was stated in a statement by the spokesperson for the government armed forces, Majid Al-Nazili, who mentioned that "the Houthi terrorist militias are using high-tech Iranian air defense weapons, which have been directed against several civilian aircraft, transforming them into cruise missiles launched from Al-Hudaydah Governorate towards international flight paths in the southern Red Sea."

He continued in his statement: "These missiles remain in a roaming state for up to 25 minutes per missile and operate on a thermal tracking system, attacking any thermal source without the ability to distinguish between military and civilian targets, which poses a direct and serious threat to the safety of civil aviation and the lives of travelers, including United Nations aircraft and humanitarian and relief organizations that use these flight paths in Yemen and the region." The statement also added that "this serious escalation coincides with the threats issued by Iranian Supreme Leader's advisor Mohammad Makbar and Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran Mohsen Rezaei, to target and disrupt aviation services in the region, following the sanctions imposed on Iranian airlines."

Al-Nazili also stated in the statement that "the threat to the airspace in the southern Red Sea and its transformation into a threat zone for civilian aircraft and travelers represents a highly dangerous escalation, exceeding the safety of Yemeni airspace to affect the safety of international airspace." The spokesperson pointed out that "the use of these Iranian weapons from Yemeni territory represents a direct threat to international flight paths, and cannot be considered a local Yemeni issue, but rather a threat to international security and safety, which requires a responsible and firm stance and actions from the relevant authorities, foremost among them the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Air Transport Association."

Iran has warned neighboring countries against complying with new U.S. restrictions targeting Iranian airlines. The Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, Mohsen Rezaei, stated on Wednesday that countries cooperating with measures aimed at limiting Iranian commercial flights may face retaliatory measures.