Yemen government says Houthi missiles threaten Red Sea air traffic

September 29, 2026 at 06:22 PM2 min

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Yemen's internationally recognised government says the Houthis have modified Iranian air defence weapons into loitering cruise missiles with IRGC help. The missiles use a thermal-tracking system that cannot distinguish military from civilian targets, threatening civilian air traffic over Yemen and the Red Sea. The warning comes as the Houthis escalate attacks on Saudi Arabia, including six ballistic missiles intercepted on Thursday.

Key Facts

Brigadier General Majed al-Nazili, spokesperson for Yemeni government forces, said the modified missiles can loiter for up to 25 minutes and attack any heat source without distinguishing military from civilian targets.
Saudi Arabia intercepted six ballistic missiles aimed at Taif and the Yanbu port area on Thursday.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group used ballistic and cruise missiles as well as drones in attacks on Riyadh and Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu.
The Houthis recently took the Red Sea coast of Yemen, including the city of Mocha and Mayyun Island in the Bab al-Mandeb strait.
In July, the Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea.

Missile Modification Claims

Yemen's internationally recognised government alleges the Houthis modified Iranian air defence weapons into loitering cruise missiles with assistance from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Brigadier General Majed al-Nazili, spokesperson for Yemeni government forces, said the weapons were modified with IRGC expert help and are being used to strike aircraft and cruise missiles. Al-Nazili said the missiles operate on a thermal-tracking system and attack any heat source without the ability to distinguish between military or civilian targets. He added that the missiles can move for up to 25 minutes per missile, posing a direct and serious threat to civil aviation safety and passenger lives.

Regional Airspace Threat

Al-Nazili noted that aircraft belonging to the United Nations or humanitarian organisations using air routes over Yemen and the region could potentially be in danger. The Yemeni government warned that the missile capability threatens civilian air traffic over Yemen and the crucial Red Sea. The Red Sea has become a vital alternative export route for Saudi Arabia since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz during the war. Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline, carrying oil from eastern oilfields to the western port of Yanbu, is only just restarting operations after damage from a drone attack this month.

Escalating Attacks

On Thursday, Riyadh said it intercepted six ballistic missiles aimed at Taif in western Saudi Arabia and the Yanbu port area on the Red Sea. The Houthis said they attacked a sensitive target in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group used ballistic and cruise missiles as well as drones in the two operations. Fighting has reignited in recent weeks, with the Houthis taking the Red Sea coast of Yemen along with the strategically important city of Mocha and Mayyun Island in the Bab al-Mandeb strait. In July, the armed group declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea.