Houthi Forces Block Yemeni Airways Flight from Landing at Mokha International Airport

Houthi militias forcibly prevented a Yemeni Airways aircraft, arriving from Jeddah International Airport, from landing at Mokha International Airport on Sunday afternoon, February 1, 2026.

Navigational sources informed the Khabar news agency that the Houthi group denied entry to Yemeni Airways flight number IYE529 after it reached Yemeni airspace, forcing an immediate diversion.

The aircraft was compelled to alter its course due to the sudden prohibition and refusal to grant landing clearance, resulting in the plane circling overhead amid widespread discontent among the passengers aboard.

This incident is notable as Mokha International Airport had witnessed its inaugural flight earlier that same morning, with an aircraft departing for Jeddah. However, the return journey was explicitly barred from landing by the Houthi authorities based in Sana'a.