Yemen government says its forces attacked Sanaa airport

Yemen’s internationally recognised government says its forces have carried out an attack at Sanaa airport to prevent an Iranian aircraft landing.

The Yemeni capital Sanaa – and much of northern Yemen, including the port city of Hodeidah on the western Red Sea coast – is controlled by Houthi ⁠rebels aligned with Iran, while the government, which ⁠has the ⁠backing of ⁠Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, is based in Aden on the south coast.

“The Houthi terrorist militia, supported by the Iranian regime, prevented Yemeni national aircraft from landing at the capital’s airport, Sanaa, and insisted that the Iranian aircraft violate Yemeni airspace. Therefore, the airport runway was targeted,” the government said in a statement on Monday.

Earlier, the Defence Ministry warned civilians, workers, diplomatic missions and humanitarian organisations to immediately evacuate the airport and its surroundings until further notice.

Read more: Al Jazeera