An Iranian aircraft carrying a Houthi delegation from Tehran has landed in Yemen despite reports of recent strikes targeting airport infrastructure, according to the Iran-backed Houthi movement. The announcement came after Yemen's internationally recognised government said it had carried out strikes on Sanaa airport in an effort to prevent the aircraft from landing. The Houthis, however, stated that the flight completed its journey successfully.
Houthi-run broadcaster Al-Masirah quoted the group's transport minister as saying the aircraft was carrying an official delegation along with a number of medical patients and Yemeni citizens who had been stranded abroad. The delegation had reportedly travelled to Tehran before returning to Yemen on the Iranian-operated flight. The group did not disclose the exact airport or location where the aircraft landed.
The conflicting claims emerged amid continuing tensions between Yemen's internationally recognised government and the Houthi movement, which controls large parts of northern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa. While government authorities maintained that strikes had been conducted to prevent the aircraft's arrival, the Houthis insisted the operation had proceeded as planned and that the passengers had safely reached Yemeni territory.
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The Houthis have not released additional details regarding the members of the delegation or the condition of the medical patients reportedly onboard. Likewise, there has been no independent confirmation of the aircraft's landing location or whether the flight encountered any disruption during its journey. Officials from Yemen's internationally recognised government had not immediately responded to the Houthis' latest claims.
The incident comes against the backdrop of ongoing conflict in Yemen, where aviation infrastructure has repeatedly been affected by military operations. Air travel to and from Houthi-controlled areas has remained subject to restrictions and disruptions due to the prolonged conflict, making humanitarian and official flights particularly sensitive.
With both sides presenting differing accounts of the incident, independent verification remains limited. The reported landing underscores the continuing political and military tensions surrounding access to Yemen's airspace, as well as the broader regional dynamics involving Iran and the Houthi movement. Further official statements are expected to provide greater clarity on the circumstances surrounding the flight.
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