[30/09/2026 07:43]

New York – SABA
The government has warned of a serious threat to the safety and security of international civil aviation over the southern Red Sea, following the reported use by the Houthi militia of Iranian-origin weapons launched from areas under its control in Hodeidah toward international air routes.

In a letter to the UN Security Council President and Secretary-General António Guterres, Yemen said it had recently documented the use of Iranian-made air-defense weapons modified in Yemen with the involvement of Iranian Revolutionary Guard experts, reportedly transforming them into missiles capable of remaining airborne for up to 25 minutes.

The government said the weapons use heat-tracking systems that may not distinguish between military and civilian targets, posing a direct risk to civilian aircraft, passengers, UN flights, and humanitarian operations in Yemen and the region.

Yemen described the development as a serious escalation extending beyond Yemen, noting that the Houthis have already threatened commercial shipping and international navigation in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Bab al-Mandab, and are now developing capabilities that could threaten international aviation in the same strategic corridor.

The government called on UN member states to fully enforce the arms embargo, particularly Security Council Resolution 2216 (2015), and to prevent the transfer of weapons, components, technology, training, and military expertise to the Houthis.

It also urged urgent coordination with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and other aviation authorities to assess risks to civilian aircraft and international air routes over the southern Red Sea and take appropriate protective measures.

Yemen offered to provide the UN Panel of Experts on Yemen and relevant international bodies with technical evidence, including launch locations and projectile trajectories, for independent assessment of the weapons, their origin, operation, and supply networks.

The government called for urgent international action to prevent the proliferation and use of these capabilities and to hold accountable those responsible for supplying, developing, and deploying them, while reaffirming its cooperation with the UN, ICAO, and international partners to protect civil aviation and international navigation.

---