Barran Press
Informed sources have confirmed that the Houthis have agreed to release Yemeni Airlines planes in exchange for the resumption of flights from Sana'a to Jordan. The sources, who spoke to "Barran Press" on condition of anonymity, attributed the Houthis' decision to the return of Houthi groups from Tehran Through Jordan.
The sources revealed to Barran Press that intensive communications were conducted by Oman with Houthi leadership after their initial refusal to release the planes.
They explained that the Houthis did not detain the Yemeni Airlines planes solely due to the issue of returning pilgrims to Sana'a or because of Omani mediation. Instead, the Houthis aimed to secure guarantees for the continuous flow of flights from Sana'a to Jordan, facilitating the transfer of dozens of Houthi elements, wounded militia members, and other Houthi leaders stranded there for weeks.
The sources stated that dozens of Houthi members, holding passports based on forged identities, have been stranded in Jordan since the suspension of flights. These individuals had left Sana'a months ago, traveling to Jordan and then to Tehran separately. They added that these individuals traveled under the guise of medical cases, but they were actually Houthi cells sent to Tehran for military training in the use of drones and ballistic missiles.
The sources described these elements as consisting of several specialized teams focusing on "drone warfare, missile forces, and special forces." They underwent combat and technical training on the use of armed drones and the launch of ballistic missiles provided by Tehran.
Before leaving Tehran, the sources revealed that the Houthi elements visited military barracks belonging to Hezbollah in Lebanon and received briefings from Hezbollah military leaders on the use of certain weapons and military tactics.
The sources added that the stranded Houthis in Jordan are facing financial hardship due to the economic blockade imposed by the Aden-based government on Houthi financial activities.
The sources accused the Houthis of exploiting their control over the Civil Registry Department in Sana'a to obtain forged identity cards for their elements sent to Tehran and Lebanon.
On Thursday, July 4th, local media outlets reported that Omani mediation had reached an agreement for the Houthis to release the seized planes at Sana'a airport in exchange for resuming the Sana'a-Amman flight route.
Later, the Ministry of Awqaf and Guidance in the internationally recognized Yemeni government confirmed these reports, informing Hajj agencies about the resumption of Yemeni Airlines flights to transport stranded pilgrims from Jeddah airport to Sana'a airport in two flights.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Awqaf, the first flight is scheduled to depart on Friday, July 5th, 2024, at 4:30 PM, while the second flight will depart on Saturday, July 6th, 2024, at 8:30 AM.
On June 26th, 2024, Yemeni Airlines apologized to pilgrims for their inability to transport them to the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, due to the Houthis' seizure of four of their planes.
In a statement about the plane seizure, seen by "Barran Press," the company stated that the Houthis, who are internationally designated as a terrorist group, had seized "four Yemeni Airlines planes at Sana'a International Airport." The company considered this act a threat to the safety of air navigation in the country, exacerbating the difficulty of operating flights to and from within the country.
Subsequently, on June 28th, the Presidential Leadership Council formed a government committee headed by Prime Minister Ahmed bin Mubarak to manage the crisis of the Houthis' seizure of Yemeni Airlines planes, which were transporting pilgrims to Sana'a International Airport.
According to the official Saba news agency, the government committee's mission includes "restricting the use of the seized planes by the group until further notice, including the release of the plane seized two months ago, and lifting the ban on the company's frozen assets, which exceed $100 million."
The Presidential Leadership Council considered the Houthis' seizure of the financially and administratively independent Yemeni Airlines planes "a complete act of terrorism, adding to their serious violations against national and foreign air and maritime carriers over the past years," according to the agency.
The council held the Houthi group fully responsible for the consequences of this escalation, which it described as "dangerous," and which it said would "further deepen the suffering of citizens, affect the operation of the national carrier, and inflict heavy losses on it."