Official statements have ignited concerns regarding the potential recurrence of seizures of Yemenia Airways aircraft by Iran-backed Houthi militias, following revelations of plans to resume flights through Sanaa Airport.
The Yemeni government has disclosed intentions to restart Yemenia Airways flights via Sanaa Airport, which remains under the control of the Houthi militia. This development arises despite the militia's prior hijacking of the airline's aircraft two years ago. The disclosure coincided with the controversy surrounding an Iranian aircraft's landing at Sanaa Airport to transport a Houthi delegation to Tehran for the funeral of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Following the Iranian plane's arrival, the Houthi militia declared it a precursor to regular flights between Sanaa and Tehran, issuing unprecedented threats against the legitimate government and the Saudi-led coalition should they attempt to obstruct these routes. In response, Yemen's Ministry of Transport in Aden issued a statement on Saturday, asserting ongoing efforts by the government and Saudi Arabia to ensure the continued operation of flights through Sanaa Airport and to remove obstacles imposed by the Houthi militia on civil aviation.
The ministry's statement acknowledged the Houthi militia's obstructionist actions at Sanaa Airport, most notably their seizure of four Yemenia Airways aircraft, which were subsequently destroyed in Israeli airstrikes amidst regional escalation initiated by the militia. Despite referencing this past incident, the ministry's statement indicated a governmental direction to resume Yemenia flights from Sanaa Airport without specifying guarantees against a repeat of such seizures.
The ministry further revealed that, shortly before the announcement of the Iranian flight, a comprehensive plan had been finalized to resume flights between Sanaa and Amman, with potential expansion to other destinations pending necessary licenses and permits. However, the ministry expressed surprise at attempts to impose a reality contrary to international law and Yemeni sovereignty, without explicitly demanding assurances against future hijackings by the Houthi militia, mirroring the events of two years prior.
This stance was reiterated by the Minister of Transport, Mohsen Haidra Al-Omri, in an interview with Al-Hadath channel, addressing the Houthi escalation via the recent Iranian flight to Sanaa. The minister confirmed a government directive for the ministry to prepare a plan for resuming operations at Houthi-controlled Sanaa Airport to Amman and other destinations. He justified this step on "humanitarian grounds," citing considerations for patients, students, the elderly, and women. He also disclosed that the plan included potential participation from private companies operating from liberated areas, such as Aden Air.
Notably, neither the Ministry of Transport nor the Presidential Leadership Council, in its discussions regarding a proposal to facilitate the Houthi delegation's return via a Yemenia Airways-chartered flight, explicitly addressed the necessity of guarantees to prevent the Houthi militia from hijacking or detaining the aircraft, as they did previously. These official statements and positions raise significant concerns that the legitimacy may be repeating a past error, potentially facilitating the seizure and detention of civilian aircraft by the Houthi militia under the guise of humanitarian justifications.
