SANAA, Yemen — The prolonged closure of Sanaa International Airport highlights the severe humanitarian and logistical crisis facing Yemen, as years of conflict with Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists have left critical infrastructure damaged and millions of civilians isolated from international aid.
Airport officials say that while temporary options to reopen the facility are under consideration, full restoration will require significant time and resources, reflecting the extensive damage sustained during the ongoing war. Local engineering teams have managed to bring one power station back online after a recent strike, providing a rare moment of respite amid frequent blackouts and shortages.
The airport, Yemen’s primary aerial gateway, is a vital lifeline for relief operations and movement of civilians, particularly those needing urgent medical evacuations. Its forced closure under Houthi domination hampers access for United Nations flights and humanitarian organizations, limiting the inflow of food, medicine, and other critical supplies for a population suffering famine, disease, and mass displacement. According to the UN, more than 70% of Yemenis are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance as the war shows no sign of resolution.
Since seizing Sanaa in 2014, Iranian-backed Houthis have entrenched their control over Yemen’s capital and main infrastructure. Their militarization of civilian facilities, including the airport and surrounding areas, has drawn repeated condemnation from international observers who note the risk to both civilian safety and regional stability. The Houthis’ use of advanced Iranian-provided weaponry — including drones and missiles — has not only escalated the local conflict but also threatened nearby states such as Saudi-Arabia and endangered international shipping in the Red Sea.
Israeli security and regional analysts stress that Yemen forms a pivotal front in the wider Iranian campaign to undermine stability across the Middle East. The Houthis’ actions, supported by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, exemplify the larger pattern of proxy warfare also witnessed in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, all directed at destabilizing governments allied with the West and threatening Israel’s security through asymmetric attacks.
Efforts to broker peace and restore basic services have achieved limited results. The 2018 Stockholm Agreement led to fragile, temporary ceasefires, but repeated Houthi violations, ongoing Iranian logistical support, and unwillingness to cede power continue to undermine lasting reconciliation. Recent Gulf and UN diplomatic initiatives have provided some humanitarian relief, chiefly through Egypt and Jordan, but reopening air and sea routes into Yemen remains fraught due to insecurity and escalation risks.
On the ground, the recent repair of a major Sanaa power station underlines both the resilience of Yemen’s engineers and the constant danger faced by civilians. Frequent attacks on energy facilities have left large swathes of the country in the dark, straining hospitals, water supplies, and small businesses. Local authorities note that, in the absence of stable energy and functional airports, even well-funded international aid cannot reach those most in need.
Humanitarian organizations warn that unless a lasting ceasefire is achieved and infrastructure is shielded from military use, the current crisis will worsen. International agencies continue to plead for unfettered access, but recurring violence prevents sustained delivery of food, medicine, and lifesaving equipment.
As the Sanaa airport remains shuttered and reconstruction efforts proceed slowly, the fate of millions hinges on the outcome of complex regional dynamics. For Israel and its allies, Yemen’s conflict is more than a distant crisis; it is a key battleground in the ongoing confrontation with Iran’s ‘Axis of Resistance.’ Stabilizing Yemen and restoring basic services, like airport and electricity operations, are central not only to saving civilian lives but also to countering Tehran’s efforts to spread chaos and terror across the region.
The reconstruction efforts in Sanaa symbolize the broader struggle facing Yemen: balancing local resilience and technical expertise against the relentless challenges of a war imposed by foreign-backed proxies. Until the conflict reaches a resolution and Iranian-backed Houthis relinquish their grip, Yemen’s airports and power grids—and the lives of millions—remain at risk.
