YEMEN’S national airline has cancelled all flights to the country’s only two functioning airports after the Saudi-led coalition fighting to oust Houthi rebels announced the closure of all land, air and sea ports.
The tightening of an embargo in place since 2015 came after a ballistic missile fired by the Houthis on Saturday at an international airport on the outskirts of the Saudi capital was intercepted.
The missile strike has further stoked tensions between regional rivals Shiite Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia, whose coalition blamed Iran for Saturday’s strike, saying it could be “considered as an act of war”.
However, Iran, which supports the Houthi government, has denied arming the rebels who say their Volcano-variant missile is locally produced.
“Iran’s role and its direct command of its Houthi proxy in this matter constitutes a clear act of aggression that targets neighbouring countries, and threatens peace and security in the region and globally,” a coalition statement said.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi dismissed the allegations as a “lie”.
The port closures could further limit access for the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Arab world’s poorest country, which has been devastated by more than two years of a bombing campaign by the coalition which has killed more than 10,000 civilians.
The coalition said the closures would be temporary and “take into account” the work of aid organisations.
Yemenia airlines said yesterday the coalition, which controls Yemen’s airspace, had declined permission to fly out of Aden and Sayoun.
Yemen’s main international airport, in the rebel-held capital, Sanaa, has been closed since August 2016 by order of the coalition.
The rebel-held north has largely relied on the Red Sea port of Hodeida for humanitarian aid and fuel supplies. A full blockade of the port would cut off a lifeline for the Houthis, as well as civilians.
It is not yet clear whether any supplies will be allowed to enter via land crossings with Saudi Arabia and Oman.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here