Houthis warn international airlines to avoid Saudi airspace
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The Iran-backed Houthi rebel group has issued a warning to international airlines to avoid using Saudi airspace, saying it could become a military operations zone, amid escalating military confrontation between the two sides. The humanitarian operations coordination center under Houthi administration said in a statement released via Al-Masirah television that the warning was directed at all airlines operating in Saudi airspace, in order to protect the safety of civil aviation and passengers. The Houthis claim that Saudi military aircraft are striking various areas in Yemen under Houthi control. The statement did not specify the time or location of any potential operations, nor did it name any specific airports or flight routes that might be affected. The warning comes as fighting in Yemen has intensified sharply, with the Saudi-led coalition launching a major air operation involving 100 fighter jets under the name Operation Dawn of Yemen, claiming to have destroyed 324 Houthi targets since the operation began. Meanwhile, Yemeni government forces have announced a strategic offensive toward Sanaa, which is under Houthi control, and fighting has also intensified around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key shipping route connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.