“The Yemeni armed forces renew their warning to all aviation and navigation companies, experts, staff, workers, and travellers against using Saudi airports and airspace,” Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said on X.
“The airports and airspace are exposed to targeting and constitute a theatre of operations for our forces, with the exception of the airports of Makkah and Madina,” he added.
The Houthis this morning have just also issued a warning to travellers and airlines to stay away from Saudi airports following yesterday’s attack.
It’s the first public message from the group since Saturday’s deadly assault.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said Mecca and Medina – the holiest cities in Islam - were excepted but the other Saudi airports and airspace “are exposed to targeting and constitute a theatre of operations for our forces”.
He warned the public to “take our warning seriously” and also claimed that “Saudi Arabia bears responsibility for any failed interceptions”.
The Gulf state has been asking the US and other Western allies for more missile interceptors since the fighting escalated.
Sahree ended his post by saying his group is pursuing: “airport for airport, siege for siege, and escalation for escalation” until they achieved their goals.
All week the Houthis have been striking the main airport in the Saudi capital as Saudi Arabia has increased strikes on Houthi territory in Yemen.
This week, the Saudi-led coalition backing the Yemeni government forces launched a major counter-offensive to try and push back the rebel group who’ve rapidly seized and gained territory since September.
The Houthis have taken over islands in the Bab al- Mandab strait and also staked positions along the Red Sea, tightening their grip on the crucial passageway through which Saudi Arabia, a top oil exporter, had been diverting flows as the Strait of Hormuz remains shut off.
An American citizen was among the 12 killed in the airport attack yesterday. For weeks now there’s been speculation over whether the US will join Saudi Arabia in carrying out air strikes against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.
When fighting recommenced last month with the Houthis, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had reportedly called Donald Trump requested military assistance. But the US president committed only military intelligence and targeting help rather than send war planes.
On Saturday, following the deadly airport attack, Trump was asked by reporters if the US would take a more active position and join in the Saudi strikes.
“We may. We’re going to look at it. We just found out about the recent attack, so we’ll make a decision. We move very quickly,” he said.
The fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis in Yemen this past month have marked a new front in the Iran war, further driving up global oil and fuel prices as the Red Sea trade route has come under pressure too.
The US is now in the seventh month of the war it began against Iran in February, and across American states gasoline prices have surged 47%.
Trump’s approval rating has also dropped from 41% in Feburary to 37%- his lowest level yet ahead of the midterm elections next month.