News - Yemen: Raed Jabal, Deputy Director of the General Authority for Civil Aviation and Meteorology, has confirmed that the US-Saudi aggression continues to impose restrictions and bans on Sana'a International Airport.

"Sana'a Airport operated 21,000 flights in 2014, but during the de-escalation period, only 1,700 flights were recorded, highlighting the severity of the siege and the resulting suffering," Jabal told Al-Masirah's correspondent on Monday.

He noted that the total number of flights from Sana'a Airport between April 2022 and June 25, 2024 does not equal the flights of a single month in 2014, underscoring the Yemeni people's insistence on their right to lift all restrictions on Sana'a Airport and Yemeni airspace.

On his part, Deputy Prime Minister for Services Affairs Hussein Maqbouli blamed the Saudi regime and its American backers for the consequences of the closure of Sana'a International Airport.

Last Saturday, Airport Director Khaled Al-Shaif highlighted the plight of thousands of stranded Yemenis worldwide unable to return home due to the siege imposed by the US-Saudi aggression on the airport.

Al-Shaif criticized the ongoing blockade on the airport and Yemen in general, affirming its illegality and unjustifiability, and noting its severe impact on Yemenis, particularly patients, travelers, and those stranded abroad, who face immense hardships.

He emphasized that before the aggression and blockade, thousands of passengers used to depart from the airport daily on 50 flights to over 30 destinations, advocating for the full reopening of Sana'a Airport to all destinations as a right for all Yemeni people, rejecting partial solutions.

During his address marking the new Hijri year last week, Sayyed Abdulmalik al-Houthi, Leader of the Yemeni Revolution, issued a stern warning to the Saudi regime. He cautioned against its continued "insane" actions aimed at causing economic harm and starvation among the Yemeni people. Asserting a reciprocal response, Sayyed Abdulmalik stated that Yemen would respond in kind to every Saudi action, including potential actions targeting Riyadh airport if Sana'a airport were disrupted.

He accused the US of manipulating Saudi Arabia to escalate aggression following its military setbacks in Yemen, focusing on economic strategies to inflict widespread harm. Sayyed Abdulmalik criticized the recent Saudi decision to relocate banks from Sana'a as an "insane and foolish step" intended to serve US and Israeli interests. He warned that such measures severely impact Yemen's economy, living conditions, and currency stability.

The Saudi regime persists in threatening to disrupt Sana'a airport and close ports, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. Sayyed Abdulmalik highlighted that these actions are driven by external incitement aimed at reigniting a comprehensive war. He emphasized that Yemen would not passively endure Saudi aggression and is prepared to confront these challenges, while also expressing solidarity with Gaza.

He concluded by urging the Saudi regime to abandon its aggressive stance, affirming that Yemen would not tolerate attempts to starve or economically cripple its people.