The Ministry of Transport of the internationally recognized government of Yemen revealed Tuesday that the Houthi rebels asked foreign airlines to obtain permits from their administration in Sanaa before entering Yemeni airspace.
The Minister of Transport, Abdul Salam Hamid, disclosed, during a meeting held at the General Authority of Civil Aviation and Meteorology in Aden, that the Houthi rebels informed foreign airlines and aircraft of international organizations that crossing Yemeni airspace would only be allowed with permits issued by the Civil Aviation Authority in Sanaa, which is run by them.
The minister mentioned the most recent of these threats affected the Djibouti Airlines Company on Monday, February 3, 2025, considering this an extension of the militia’s aggressive approach, which constitutes a direct threat to Yemeni, regional and international interests..He pointed out that the General Authority of Civil Aviation in Aden, affiliated with the legitimate government, is the only body legally authorized to issue transit permits for Yemeni airspace, but he did not clarify how serious the government was in imposing this measure in practice and withdrawing permit powers from the Houthis.
The minister condemned the Houthi pressures on airlines, stressing the need to take firm measures to prevent the recurrence of such aggressive practices targeting civil aviation in the region.