Security
Houthi Escalation of Iran War Widens Danger to Aviation
Security analysts are warning operators to remain vigilant in Gulf conflict
Red Sea
The involvement of Houthi forces in the Iran war could expand risks to aviation eastwards, to the airspace around the Red Sea. © Google Maps

Security experts have warned that a new wave of attacks by Iran-backed Houthi forces poses significantly increased risks to aviation in airspace spanning Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Additionally, if the Yemen-based fighters close the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, this could further curtail the flow of jet fuel and other oil and gas products already disrupted by the almost-complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Over the past week, international airports in Kuwait City and the Iraqi capital Baghdad have been damaged by Iranian missiles and drones. The unpredictable and dispersed pattern of attacks is prompting the airlines to resort to longer routings and last-minute changes to flight plans as they struggle to sustain increasingly costly operations, several security analysts have cautioned in briefings this week.