Aden, Sept. 27 (SANA) Yemen’s armed forces said the Houthi militia is using Iranian air-defense weapons modified into loitering missiles that could threaten civilian aircraft and international flight routes over the southern Red Sea.
Military spokesman Col. Majid Abdullah al-Nazili said the weapons are launched from Hodeidah province in western Yemen toward international air routes and can remain airborne for up to 25 minutes.
The missiles use heat-seeking technology and can target heat sources without distinguishing between military and civilian targets, al-Nazili said in a statement published by the Yemeni military.
He said the weapons pose a direct threat to civilian aviation and passengers, including those aboard U.N. and humanitarian flights operating in Yemen and the wider region.
Al-Nazili called on the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Air Transport Association to take action, saying the potential threat extends beyond Yemeni airspace to international aviation routes.
The warning comes as Yemeni officials raise concerns over regional security and international navigation. On Saturday, Yemeni Foreign and Expatriates Minister Afrah al-Zouba discussed developments in Yemen with International Crisis Group President and CEO Comfort Ero on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York.
N.J/ABD
