The Yemeni Ministry of Defense announced on Saturday that Houthi rebels are using Iranian air defense weapons, which pose a threat to international air traffic and civilian planes in the southern Red Sea. The ministry's spokesperson, Colonel Majiid Abdullah al-Nazili, stated that the Houthis have been using these weapons with advanced technologies and tactics, converted with the help of Iranian Revolutionary Guard experts.
According to al-Nazili, the Houthis have been using these air defense weapons, which can fly for up to 25 minutes and work with thermal tracking systems, allowing them to attack any heat source without distinguishing between military or civilian targets. The ministry warned that the use of these weapons constitutes a direct and serious threat to the safety of civil aviation and the lives of passengers.
The Yemeni Ministry of Defense expressed concern that the Houthis' actions coincide with threats made by Iranian officials, including Mohammad Mokhber, a advisor to the Iranian Supreme Leader, and Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council. These officials have threatened to target air services in the region following sanctions imposed on Iranian airlines.
The ministry considered the Houthis' threats to the southern Red Sea airspace and the conversion of the area into a threat zone for civilian planes and passengers as a serious escalation that goes beyond Yemen's airspace to affect international airspace. The use of Iranian weapons from Yemeni territory represents a direct threat to international air traffic lines, the ministry stated.
The Yemeni Ministry of Defense called on international authorities, including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), to take a responsible and firm stance on these developments. The ministry emphasized that the use of Iranian air defense weapons by the Houthis is not a local Yemeni issue but a threat to international air traffic.
Colonel al-Nazili stated that the Houthis have been using these air defense weapons, which were converted with the help of Iranian experts, to launch missiles from the Hodeidah province towards international air traffic routes in the southern Red Sea. The ministry warned that these actions pose a threat to the safety of civil aviation and the lives of passengers, including those on UN and humanitarian organization planes.
The Yemeni Ministry of Defense urged the international community to take action to prevent the Houthis from using these Iranian air defense weapons, which pose a threat to regional and international security. The ministry emphasized the need for a firm and united stance against these threats to ensure the safety of air traffic and the lives of passengers.
Key points
- The Houthis' use of Iranian air defense weapons poses a threat to international air traffic and civilian planes in the southern Red Sea.
- The Yemeni Ministry of Defense has called on international authorities to take a responsible and firm stance on these developments.
- The use of Iranian air defense weapons by the Houthis represents a direct threat to international air traffic lines and regional security.
