Yemeni army says Houthi weapons threaten civilian aviation in southern Red Sea

Yemen’s military said on Saturday that weapons used by the Houthis pose a threat to civilian aircraft and international flight routes in the southern Red Sea.

Military spokesman Majid al-Nazili said the Houthis had converted Iranian air-defense weapons into “cruise” missiles launched from the western Hodeidah province toward international air corridors.

He claimed the missiles could remain airborne for up to 25 minutes and use heat-seeking guidance, leaving them unable to distinguish between military and civilian targets.

Al-Nazili said the weapons could endanger commercial aircraft as well as UN and humanitarian flights operating in Yemen and the wider region.

He described their use as a serious escalation extending beyond Yemeni airspace and threatening international aviation routes.

The spokesman also linked the development to recent threats by senior Iranian officials to disrupt aviation services in the region following sanctions on Iranian airlines.

He urged international aviation bodies, including the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Air Transport Association, to take action.

There was no comment from the Houthis or Iran on the Yemeni military’s claims.

Yemen has been engulfed in conflict since the Houthi group seized the capital Sanaa, and several provinces in 2014. That prompted a Saudi-led Arab coalition to intervene in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government.

Renewed fighting began in July, when the group declared a maritime blockade on Riyadh.

The Houthis recently claimed advances along the Red Sea Coast and Bab el-Mandab Strait, and have also targeted the oil infrastructure of Saudi Arabia.