Yemen's Armed Forces spokesperson has announced that humanitarian flights to Riyadh will be permitted for those that have obtained authorization from the Sana’a government, following the closure of the Saudi capital’s airport.

“From now on, humanitarian flights to and from Riyadh Airport will be permitted for all flights that have received the necessary permit from the Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center in Sana'a, the capital of Yemen,” Brigadier General Yahya Saree said in a statement on Friday.

The announcement came after Omar al-Bukhaiti, a Yemeni government spokesman, urged airlines to stay away from Saudi airports to protect passengers and crews, warning that the kingdom’s airspace and airports, except those over the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, have become part of Yemen’s military operations.

On Thursday, Yemeni Armed Forces had targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with two cruise missiles and one ballistic missile, Najran Airport with one ballistic missile, and Khamis Mushait Air Base with one ballistic missile.

The attacks disrupted air traffic, prompting several international airlines to suspend flights to the Saudi capital. Widespread cancellations and delays were also reported at several other Saudi airports.

Yemen warns airlines to stay away from Saudi airports as attacks disrupt air traffic

A Yemeni government spokesman has urged airlines to stay away from Saudi airports to protect passengers and crews, warning that the kingdom’s airspace and airports, except those over the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, have become part of Yemen’s military operations.

The current escalation follows a July 20 declaration by the Sana'a administration, which imposed a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in response to the nearly 12-year siege on Yemen.               

In recent weeks, the Yemeni military has announced several successful naval operations targeting ships linked to Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea, enforcing the blockade and impacting Riyadh's energy exports.

The Yemeni forces have also carried out retaliatory attack on targets deep inside the kingdom, and made a lightning advance across Yemen’s coastal plain over the last month, reinforcing control over the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

The conflict traces back to March 2015, when Saudi Arabia and a US-backed coalition launched a sweeping military campaign and blockade aimed at reinstalling a favorable regime in Sana'a.

Despite years of bombardment and the deployment of advanced Western weaponry, the Saudi coalition has failed to achieve its stated objectives.