Humanitarian Operations Center Issues Flight Ban Over Saudi Airspace

A statement released on October 5 by the Houthi‑run Humanitarian Operations Coordination Centre warned all airlines operating in Saudi Arabian airspace to suspend services until further notice. The announcement, aired on Al‑Masirah television, stressed that the intensifying military exchange between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi movement could transform the Saudi sky into an active war zone, endangering civilian aircraft. The centre highlighted recent Saudi air strikes targeting Houthi‑controlled zones in Yemen as evidence that the corridor is no longer secure for passenger flights. The notice refrained from naming particular airports, corridors or timelines for the imposed restriction. Saudi officials have yet to comment publicly on the warning. This alert coincides with the Saudi‑led coalition’s launch of “Operation Dawn of Yemen,” a large‑scale air offensive that reportedly involved 100 fighter jets and claimed the destruction of 324 Houthi positions. In parallel, Yemeni government forces commenced a retaliatory assault near the Bab al‑Mandeb Strait, seeking to regain strategic footholds lost to Houthi advances.