Flights at Yemen’s Aden International Airport have been suspended, according to the Southern Transitional Council (STC) on Thursday. Passengers gathered at the terminal seeking information as operations came to a halt. The suspension followed escalating tensions between the UAE-backed STC and the Saudi Arabia-backed internationally recognized Yemeni government.

Channel AIC reported that Saudi Arabia halted both domestic and international flights at Aden airport, effectively suspending all operations. The airport primarily handled flights to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan. The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, operating under STC authority as part of a power-sharing arrangement with the Yemeni government, condemned the Saudi decision.

The ministry stated it had received a memorandum from the Saudi-led coalition instructing that all international flights must first stop in Jeddah for inspection before proceeding to their destinations. It expressed dismay over the move, though Saudi authorities later clarified that the restriction applied only to flights between Aden and the United Arab Emirates.