Sanaa: Yemen’s Houthi group on Sunday renewed its warning to airlines, aviation workers, and travellers against using airports and airspace in Saudi Arabia amid escalating cross-border hostilities.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a statement posted on X that Saudi airports and airspace, except for the airports in the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina, remained “exposed to targeting” and constituted an area of operations for the group’s forces.
Saree urged airlines, aviation personnel and travellers to take the warnings seriously, saying the Houthis would maintain their declared formula of “airport for airport, blockade for blockade, and escalation for escalation” until the group achieves its objectives.
The renewed warning came a day after an attack on King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh killed 12 people and injured 309 others, according to the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation, Xinhua News Agency reported.
The airport has been repeatedly targeted amid a sharp escalation in recent days, as the Houthis stepped up missile and drone attacks against targets inside Saudi Arabia while the Saudi-led coalition intensified airstrikes against Houthi-held areas in Yemen.
Meanwhile, fighting has intensified in southwestern Yemen, particularly near the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait, where Yemeni government forces backed by the Saudi-led coalition have been battling Houthi forces.
Earlier, United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg on Sunday condemned continuing Houthi attacks on civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, warning that the escalation threatens regional security and further complicates peace efforts in Yemen.
“These attacks represent a grave escalation,” he said, adding that such actions “pose a serious threat to regional security, perpetuate cycles of violence and complicate even more peace efforts for Yemen.”
Grundberg renewed his call on the Houthis to cease the attacks and stressed the need to respect international humanitarian law, including the prohibition on directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects.
(IANS)
