Yemen's Houthi Rebels Attack Saudi Airport... Middle East Conflict Expands to Three Fronts

Attack Resumes After Four Years of Truce With Saudi Arabia

Another Obstacle for US-Iran Peace Talks

AFP Yonhap News

The Iran-backed armed group in Yemen, known as the Houthi rebels, has attacked an airport in Saudi Arabia, effectively ending a four-year truce with Saudi Arabia. There are growing expectations that ending the war between the United States and Iran will become even more difficult.

On July 13 (local time), the Houthi rebels announced in a statement that they had attacked Saudi Arabia's Abha International Airport using ballistic missiles and drones. Yahya Saree, the military spokesperson for the Houthi rebels, said, "This attack is in retaliation for Saudi Arabia's airstrike on Sana'a International Airport, located in the Yemeni capital." He warned, "Until Saudi Arabia lifts its blockade on Sana'a Airport, no international airlines will be able to enter Saudi airspace."

This is the first Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia in more than four years since both sides declared an informal truce brokered by the United Nations in March 2022. On this day, the Houthi rebels unilaterally declared the end of the truce and resumed attacks on Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi government has not yet released a statement regarding the airstrike. Meanwhile, the Yemen government, which is pro-Saudi, claimed responsibility for the airstrike on Sana'a Airport. According to Arab News, Rashad Al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, said at a press conference on this day, "An Iranian aircraft attempted to land at Sana'a Airport the day before, violating Yemen's sovereignty, so we launched an attack. Iran must not forcibly involve the Yemeni people in a war or risk escalating the conflict."

The Iranian aircraft at the center of the dispute attempted to land at Sana'a Airport the previous day but turned around and landed at Hodeidah Airport—currently controlled by the Houthis—after coming under attack. According to Al Masirah, a Houthi media outlet, the aircraft was carrying the official delegation of the Houthi rebels.

The international community is expressing concern about the potential escalation of the war in the Middle East and forecasts that a peace agreement between the United States and Iran will become even more difficult. Hans Grundberg, the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, stated in a press release, "The Office of the Special Envoy is in contact with all parties involved to persuade them to pull back from the brink of further escalation. We urge all sides to refrain from any actions that could trigger a new cycle of violence."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.