SANAA, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi group said Wednesday that Sanaa International Airport was ready to receive flights after repairing runway damage from recent airstrikes.
In a press statement, senior Houthi official Mohammed Qahim said rehabilitation work on both runways had been completed, adding that the group remained committed to operating the airport.
He added that reopening the airport was part of what the Houthis described as efforts to break the "blockade" imposed on Yemen.
The announcement followed a sharp escalation on Monday, when Yemen's internationally recognized government said its forces had struck the runway at Sanaa International Airport to prevent an Iranian passenger aircraft carrying a senior Houthi delegation returning from Tehran from landing.
The Houthis blamed Saudi Arabia for the strikes, describing them as a violation of the de-escalation understandings that have largely held since the 2022 UN-mediated truce. There was no immediate comment from Riyadh.
Hours later, the Houthis announced missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia.
Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthi group seized control of the capital, Sanaa, and much of the country's north, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene the following year in support of the internationally recognized government. ■
