Yemen Airport Under Fire: Who Really Attacked It?
On July 13, 2026, Yemen's government said its own forces attacked the runway at Sanaa airport to stop an Iranian plane from landing. But the Houthis—a powerful armed group that controls the airport—say Saudi Arabia did it instead. Neither side has presented clear evidence, and Saudi Arabia has not publicly responded, according to Reuters, Al Jazeera, and ABC News Australia.
This matters because it sits at the heart of Yemen's long civil war. Iran is accused of sending weapons to the Houthis, though Iran and the Houthis deny this. If Yemen's government really did attack the airport to stop Iranian deliveries, that would be a new move—the government normally relies on Saudi-led airstrikes for this kind of action. No one has independently confirmed the government's story yet.
The Houthis have blamed Saudi Arabia for airport strikes many times before. A year earlier, in May 2026, the Houthi news agency called strikes on the airport "war crimes." They keep a public record of what they say are Saudi and allied attacks on the airport going back years. But here's the key detail: when I searched their records through early July, there was no Saudi accusation for any 2026 airport strike before July 13. The Houthis are following their usual pattern, but this time there's also a direct claim from Yemen's government saying it did the attacking.
Sanaa airport has been a battlefield in Yemen's war for years. It closes and reopens based on ceasefire deals brokered by the United Nations. Both sides argue about what the airport really is. The Houthis say it's a civilian facility; the government and Saudi-led forces say it's also used for military purposes and has been a legitimate target. That argument happens again and again whenever strikes occur.
What happens next will shape how people remember this event. If the Houthis attack back—as they say they might—that could make their Saudi Arabia claim look more believable. If Saudi Arabia stays silent and the government's account stands, the strike might be recorded as Yemen's own operation against Iranian supplies instead of a renewed coalition offensive. Either way, it will affect ongoing ceasefire talks that the United Nations has been trying to push forward.
