The Yemeni Armed Forces announced on Monday that they would respond to what they described as a violation of Yemen’s airspace and sovereignty by Iran and the Houthi group, stressing that they would deal with any “hostile” aircraft that breaches Yemeni airspace.

Yemeni Defense Minister Taher al-Aqili said in a statement issued by the Armed Forces that “patience has run out,” noting that the Yemeni government had tried by all means to persuade Iran and the Houthis to return to “the right path” and refrain from violating Yemen’s airspace.

Yemeni Defense Minister Taher al-Aqili (X).

The Yemeni Armed Forces added that they “hold Iran fully responsible, legally and morally, for any violation of Yemeni airspace,” stressing that “Yemen’s people and leadership are determined to defend the country by land, sea, and air, regardless of the consequences.”

They emphasized that they would respond “in an appropriate manner and using all available means” to any violation of the country’s sovereignty, according to the statement.

The Yemeni government announced on Monday that it had targeted the runway of Sana’a International Airport in order to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing. Meanwhile, the Yemeni Ministry of Defense called on “citizens, workers, and organizations to stay away from the airport and its surroundings.”

For his part, Yemeni Information Minister Moammar Al Eryani accused the Houthi group of holding a pilot affiliated with the International Committee of the Red Cross and his assistant hostage at Sana’a Airport, considering the move a “violation of international humanitarian law.”