Yemen government says forces struck Sanaa airport to block Iranian plane

The Yemeni government announced that its forces carried out a targeted strike at Sana’a International Airport on Saturday, aiming to prevent an Iranian‑registered aircraft from landing on Yemeni soil. According to a statement released by the Ministry of Defense, the operation was conducted after intelligence indicated that the aircraft, allegedly carrying personnel linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, was attempting to use the airport as a staging point for a planned deployment in the country.

Officials said the strike successfully disabled the runway section designated for the aircraft’s arrival, forcing the plane to divert to an alternate airport in the region. The government described the action as a defensive measure to safeguard national sovereignty and to counter what it termed “unlawful foreign interference.” No casualties were reported, and the Yemeni authorities have called for a United Nations inquiry into the incident while urging neighboring states to monitor similar attempts to breach Yemeni airspace.