Yemen's Sanaa airport hit by Israel reopens after Houthi repairs

Two Yemenia Airways planes departed from Sanaa International Airport in Yemen to the Jordanian capital, Amman, on Monday, marking the resumption of flights after Israeli airstrikes severely damaged the airport earlier this month, the country’s national carrier said. 

The flights followed the Houthis’ announcement that they had rapidly rebuilt the airport, drawing relief from stranded passengers but also scepticism over aviation safety concerns.

The Houthis, who control Sanaa, declared that the airport had been restored after Israeli airstrikes on May 6 destroyed its infrastructure, including the main terminal, control tower, tarmac, and three Yemenia planes. They estimated the damage at $500 million and initially admitted the airport was “completely destroyed".

The Israeli airstrikes came in response to a Houthi missile attack targeting Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport, part of a broader escalation by the group in support of Palestinians in Gaza. On Monday, the Houthis further escalated their campaign by announcing a “naval blockade” on Israel’s Port of Haifa and vowed more drone and missile strikes.

Despite the destruction, the Houthis claimed to have restored the airport in just ten days and announced its readiness to receive both Yemenia and UN flights. However, images of a Yemenia plane landing on the repaired tarmac sparked concerns after showing a large cloud of dust trailing the aircraft.

At the same time, an official at Yemenia Airways' Amman office told The New Arab on Monday, quoting a Yemenia Airways pilot who landed on the newly repaired tarmac, that the appearance of dust during the landing is "normal" and poses no threat because the plane used full reverse thrust to slow down after landing.

Yemenia is trying to transport hundreds of stranded Yemeni passengers from Amman to Yemen and others from Yemen to Amman, the official, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to brief reporters, said.

"They told us that they carried out the maintenance in accordance with international standards, and they are ready to receive technical commissions from Jordan or anywhere to inspect their work," the official added, referring to the Sanaa airport authority.

Despite providing relief to delayed travellers, the Houthis' fast renovation of Sanaa airport has caused confusion in Yemen, with Houthi sympathisers celebrating the effort as a show of resistance and opponents accusing the Houthis of tricking the people with cosmetic fixes.

Mohammad Al-Imad, a Houthi journalist, said his group repaired the airport in four days and rebuilt a power facility attacked by Israelis in one day, something their adversaries could not do in decades. "We repaired a power plant that had been devastated by aeroplanes in 24 hours. This is the true accomplishment," Al-Imad told Al-Hawiya, the station he manages.

Critics of the Houthis, including Fatehi bin Lazerq, editor of Aden Al-Ghad newspaper, said that the Houthis endangered people's lives by restoring the airport so rapidly that they are deceiving the public, and that they are seeking to boost their narrative of resilience.

“The terminals, control systems, and all airport departments were destroyed. Three Yemeni planes were destroyed, and the company lost 80% of its fleet in Sanaa. The airport restoration will take at least two years and cost at least $100 million,” bin Lazerq said on his Facebook page.

Meanwhile, Yemen experts say that despite the tremendous damage, the Houthis rapidly rebuilt the Sanaa airport since it is a critical departure gateway for their officials who go abroad. 

“The Houthis have been using the airport to fly their leaders and operatives in and out of Sanaa, so they need it reopened,” Nadwa al-Dawsari, a Yemen expert and non-resident scholar at the Middle East Institute, told The New Arab. The Houthis are also conveying a message that they have not been weakened by the bombings, she said.

“The quick repair of the airport runway and basic facilities also signals that they are resilient, and that is part and parcel of their propaganda and information warfare.”

On Monday, the Houthis imposed a "naval blockade" on the Port of Haifa, attacking ships bound for the Israeli port and escalating drone and missile strikes on its airports, a move that is anticipated to prompt retribution from Israel.

According to Al-Dawsari, Israel's reprisal attacks would most likely be fiercer, targeting the freshly restored Sanaa airports.

“With the Houthis continuing to target Israel, Israel will likely continue to bomb Houthi targets and infrastructure in Yemen, including the airport.”