ADEN, Yemen, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Chairman of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Rashad Al-Alimi said Thursday his government will not allow any foreign aircraft to land at Yemeni airports without its approval, as tensions mounted over access to Houthi-controlled Sanaa International Airport.
In a press statement carried by the state-run Saba news agency, Al-Alimi said the government will take "all legitimate measures" to protect the country's airspace and sovereignty while avoiding a broader regional escalation.
Al-Alimi also rejected Houthi accusations that the government had closed Sanaa International Airport, saying civilian flights could continue through the national carrier, Yemen Airways.
Earlier in the day, Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi warned in a televised address that Saudi oil facilities and other strategic infrastructure would become targets if Riyadh expanded its military involvement in Yemen.
The developments came days after the most serious exchange between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi group in years, triggered by a dispute over an Iranian aircraft carrying a senior Houthi delegation.
On Monday, Yemen's internationally recognized government blocked the aircraft from landing at Sanaa International Airport, saying it violated the country's sovereignty. Later, airstrikes damaged the airport's runway, forcing the aircraft to divert to Hodeidah, while the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out the attack.
Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized control of Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene the following year in support of the Yemeni government. ■
