Targeting Sana’a airport: The Saudi enemy undermines de-escalation and opens a new phase of confrontation.

The Saudi aggression against Sana’a International Airport has once again reshuffled the cards of the Yemeni scene, after targeting the runways with a number of air raids, in an escalation that comes days after warnings issued by the armed forces regarding any new targeting of the airport or an attempt to disrupt air traffic, which portends a different stage of confrontation and puts the de-escalation path to an unprecedented test.

The timing of this aggression gives the event dimensions that go beyond military targeting, as it came days after clear Yemeni warnings about any attack on Sana’a airport, which puts the raids in the context of an open confrontation over the blockade issue, and makes it a turning point in the existing de-escalation process.

The airport: a symbol of siege and resilience
Sanaa International Airport is no longer just a service facility, but during the years of aggression it has become one of the most prominent symbols of the siege imposed on Yemen, after thousands of patients, students and travelers were deprived of their right to travel, and its opening or closing has become one of the most closely related issues to the humanitarian dimension of the crisis.

The targeting came at a very sensitive time, following the resumption of civilian flights and an operation to break the air blockade, which gave the recent raids dimensions that go beyond the military aspect to clear political and humanitarian messages.

Warnings preceded the escalation
The latest aggression was not surprising in the context of events, as the armed forces had warned, in their statement issued on July 3, that any new attempt to violate Yemeni airspace or target the country would be met with a comprehensive response targeting airports and vital facilities belonging to the Saudi regime.

The statement at the time affirmed that the continuation of the Saudi-American blockade on Yemen was no longer acceptable, and that the armed forces would take all legitimate steps to end it, while emphasizing the continuation of flights through Sana’a airport and rejecting a return to the policy of closing it.

The aggression ended the de-escalation
Following the raids, the official spokesman for the armed forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announced that the Saudi aggression against Sana’a International Airport “ended the de-escalation phase,” stressing that this aggression “will not go unanswered and unpunished,” and that the Saudi regime bears full responsibility for the repercussions and consequences of this escalation.

This position reflects the shift of developments from a mere field incident to a new stage of confrontation, given the armed forces’ linking of the continuation of the siege and the targeting of the airport to the previously announced response options.

Official condemnations confirm the right of reply
Official statements condemning the targeting of Sana’a airport continued, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates affirming that the attack on a civilian facility represents a flagrant violation of Yemen’s sovereignty, the UN Charter, international law, and the 1944 Chicago Convention, which prohibits targeting civilian airports.

The ministry stressed that this escalation will not go unpunished, affirming that Yemen will not accept the continuation of the aggression and the blockade, and will continue to take legitimate measures to end them. It also called on the international community and the Security Council to condemn the aggression and compel the Saudi regime to stop its violations.

For its part, the Shura Council considered the targeting of Sana’a airport to be a full-fledged war crime and a violation of all international laws and conventions, warning of the catastrophic consequences of this escalation, and stressing that the Saudi aggression has officially ended the de-escalation phase, and that the Saudi regime must bear full responsibility for the consequences of its actions.

The Council reaffirmed the legitimate right of the Republic of Yemen to respond, declaring its support for all options taken by the revolutionary and political leadership and the armed forces to break the siege and defend the sovereignty of the homeland.

In the same context, the Ministry of Transport and Public Works considered that targeting Sana’a Airport reflects a Saudi insistence, with American and Israeli support, on maintaining the siege imposed on the Yemeni people, stressing that the raids deprived thousands of patients and travelers of the most basic rights guaranteed by internation