Arab Coalition Shows Footage of How Houthis Transformed Sanaa Airport into Military Base

Sanaa International Airport. (Reuters file photo)
Sanaa International Airport. (Reuters file photo)
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Arab Coalition Shows Footage of How Houthis Transformed Sanaa Airport into Military Base

Sanaa International Airport. (Reuters file photo)
Sanaa International Airport. (Reuters file photo)

Saudi-led Arab coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Malki said on Monday the Iran-backed Houthi militias have transformed Sanaa International Airport into a military base for their military training and cross-border attacks.

In remarks to Al Arabiya, he stressed the Houthis are a danger to aircraft of United Nations agencies and their relief staff.

Iran has transformed Sanaa airport into a main platform for launching hostile attacks, he added.

Moreover, Tehran has used the facility to deliver all forms of weapons to the militias.

Al Arabiya aired footage of how the Houthis have used a UN plane at the airport in military training.

The Houthis used the aircraft to test their air defense and rocket systems whereby the plane was used as a mock target as it landed at and took off from the airport, showed the video.

The footage showed a suspected foreign expert overseeing the tests, confirming the involvement of Iranian Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah members in carrying out hostile attacks and threatening marine navigation and global trade routes in violation of UN Security Council resolution 2216.

The video confirmed previous statements by the Arab coalition that accused the Houthis of transforming Sanaa airport into a military base for the manufacturing and storage of ballistic missiles and armed drones ahead of their use in Yemen and beyond.



Syria Puts Entry Restrictions On Lebanese After Border Clash

Cars line up to enter Lebanon after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad near the Lebanese-Syrian border (Reuters)
Cars line up to enter Lebanon after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad near the Lebanese-Syrian border (Reuters)
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Syria Puts Entry Restrictions On Lebanese After Border Clash

Cars line up to enter Lebanon after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad near the Lebanese-Syrian border (Reuters)
Cars line up to enter Lebanon after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad near the Lebanese-Syrian border (Reuters)

Syria has imposed new restrictions on the entry of Lebanese citizens, two security sources from Lebanon told AFP on Friday, following what the Lebanese army said was a border skirmish with armed Syrians.

The developments appeared to be the first instance of diplomatic friction between the two neighbours since opposition factions topped longtime Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad last month.

Lebanese nationals had previously been allowed into Syria without a visa, using just their passport or ID.

But a Lebanese General Security official told AFP Friday that they were "surprised to see the border had been closed" to Lebanese citizens "from the Syrian side".

The official, who like other sources spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, said that no new border measures had been communicated to them yet.

A security source at Masnaa, the main land border crossing between the two countries, said Syrian authorities had implemented "new procedures" since last night, only allowing in Lebanese with residency permits or official permission.

The Lebanese army said in a statement on X that its soldiers and Syrians had clashed at the border as the armed forces tried to "close an illegal crossing".

"Syrians attempted to open the crossing using a bulldozer, so army personnel fired warning shots into the air. The Syrians opened fire on army personnel, injuring one of them and provoking a clash".

"Army units deployed in the sector have taken strict military measures," the statement added.

Earlier, a Lebanese military official had said Syria's move followed "skirmishes between the Lebanese army and Syrian armed men at the border" who were briefly detained by the army.