A regional monitoring channel claims that a Saudi airstrike intended to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing at Hodeida International Airport failed. The report follows earlier reports of Saudi strikes on the airport as the Iranian plane attempted to land.
A regional monitoring channel now claims that Saudi Arabia's attempt to block an Iranian aircraft at Hodeida International Airport failed. The report, published shortly before 15:22 Jerusalem time, follows earlier reports that Saudi forces were striking the airport as the Iranian plane approached.
The Zioneer reported at 14:45 Jerusalem that an Iranian aircraft had diverted to Hodeidah after Saudi airstrikes on Sanaa International Airport, according to Iranian sources. Simultaneously, it reported that Saudi Arabia was striking Hodeida airport to prevent the landing. Those initial reports were attributed to Iranian sources and a regional monitoring channel. Shortly after, security analyst Yair Goldblatt reported that a Yemeni delegation had arrived at Hodeida aboard an Iranian plane after being unable to land at Sanaa.
The incident is part of a broader escalation between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The Zioneer previously reported on Saudi strikes on Sanaa airport, and earlier on President Trump's statement that the US uses Saudi airports for strikes on Iran, which drew threats from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The claim that the Saudi attempt failed remains unverified, attributed to a single regional monitoring channel. The fate of the Iranian aircraft and whether it successfully landed or was forced to divert again is not independently confirmed. The extent of any damage or casualties from the reported strikes on Hodeida airport also remains unclear.
2 developments
- ConfirmedIranian plane that landed in Hodeidah departs back, report says
- DevelopingSaudi airports suspend flights after attack from Yemen, Iranian media report
- StrongPro-Iranian channels publish footage of Houthi strike on Saudi airport
- DevelopingSaudi Arabia struck Sanaa airport ahead of Iranian plane landing
Source and signal
- Open-source intake