Yemeni Ambassador to Kuwait Ali bin Safaa detailed how the legitimate government exhausted political, diplomatic and legal avenues before implementing sovereign measures to control its airspace, airports and ports. The envoy explained that Sana’a airport was never closed but that operations must run through the national carrier Yemen Airways to ensure safety and legality for civilian flights serving patients, students and other travelers across all governorates. Bin Safaa added that the Houthi militia had rejected every offered initiative, preferring arrangements that advance political and military objectives over citizen welfare.
The ambassador warned that the militia’s stance masks an effort to create a direct air link with Iran, enabling the rapid movement of experts, spare parts and advanced weaponry that would bypass slower maritime smuggling paths long used for sanctions evasion. A Council on Foreign Relations overview of Iran’s ties to the group describes Tehran as the Houthis’ main supplier of weapons transfers, training and intelligence, capabilities that have allowed strikes across the Red Sea and against neighboring states. Recent attempts by an Iranian Mahan Air flight to reach Sana’a in early July underscored these concerns, according to regional monitoring reported by Iran International and The National.
Bin Safaa called on the international community to block the so-called air bridge, viewing it as a threat that could let the Revolutionary Guard resupply the militia for renewed Red Sea attacks, potential closure of the Bab al-Mandab Strait or assaults on Gulf infrastructure. “It is important to take action to thwart the Iranian bridge project, not only to protect Yemeni sovereignty, but also to guarantee international maritime security and safeguard the interests of the international community,” he said. A United Nations Security Council resolution renewed in mid-July extended monitoring of Houthi activities in the Red Sea, reflecting persistent global worries over arms embargo violations detailed in successive panel of experts reports.
The diplomat held the Iranian regime fully responsible for escalation, citing its provision of missile, drone and naval components that have transformed Yemeni territory into a launchpad against neighboring countries. He noted that attacks on Kuwait and other Gulf states form part of a pattern aimed at sowing instability rather than any justifiable grievance. Bin Safaa urged Arab governments to craft a collective strategy toward Tehran, distinguishing the Iranian people and Shiite communities from the regime’s use of sectarianism to pursue expansionist aims.
Turning to bilateral ties, the ambassador described relations with Kuwait as deeply rooted in humanitarian and developmental assistance that has benefited schools, hospitals and infrastructure across multiple Yemeni provinces. He highlighted contributions from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development and various charitable bodies as evidence of principled support unlinked to political gain. Bin Safaa expressed gratitude to Kuwait’s leadership and people for their consistent backing of Yemen through years of crisis.
The envoy reiterated that the dispute extends far beyond any single flight, representing instead an Iranian bid to impose a permanent logistics channel outside state authority that could further destabilize the area. He recalled Yemen’s own long experience with such interference as a warning for the wider region. Security Council Report figures from its July 2026 forecast placed renewed Houthi threats in the context of broader Axis of Resistance coordination following recent Iran-related escalations.
