Hodeida International Airport

The closure is a direct result of the Yemeni Civil War. After Houthi forces took control of Hodeida in late 2014, the airport became a strategic military target. The Saudi-led coalition, which intervened in March 2015, accused Houthi forces of using the airport to smuggle weapons (including ballistic missile components from Iran) and as a launch site for drones and other attacks. To prevent this, the coalition imposed a nationwide air and sea blockade and conducted numerous airstrikes that systematically destroyed the airport's critical infrastructure, including the runway, control tower, and terminal buildings. The closure is therefore due to its strategic role in the conflict and its subsequent destruction and militarization.

The airport is currently non-operational and remains under the control of Houthi forces. Satellite imagery and reports confirm that the facility is in a state of ruin, with a cratered runway and destroyed buildings. The site has been a major point of contention in the conflict and in peace negotiations. The internationally recognized government of Yemen and the Saudi-led coalition maintain that the site is still used by Houthis for military purposes, including drone storage and assembly. Due to its strategic location near the vital Hodeida port, the airport's status is intrinsically linked to the broader military and humanitarian situation in the region. It is heavily mined and considered an active conflict zone.

Prior to the war, Hodeida International Airport was a vital transportation hub for western Yemen. It was the main airport serving Hodeida, Yemen's principal Red Sea port city, which handled the majority of the country's imports. The airport facilitated both domestic and international travel, connecting the region to Yemen's capital, Sana'a, and other cities, as well as to international destinations. It was served by national carriers like Yemenia (Yemen Airways) and Felix Airways. The airport was crucial for business travel related to the port, for the local population, and for the limited tourism to Yemen's Red Sea coast. As the conflict began, it also briefly served as a channel for humanitarian aid before its complete destruction made that impossible.

Reopening Hodeida Airport is a key component of UN-led peace efforts and a consistent demand from humanitarian organizations to alleviate Yemen's crisis. The 2018 Stockholm Agreement between the warring parties included provisions for the Hodeida governorate, and subsequent talks have often included the airport's reopening for humanitarian and, eventually, commercial flights. There have been several initiatives to assess and prepare the airport for reopening. For instance, in mid-2022, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) conducted work to assess damage and clear unexploded ordnance, declaring it could be made 'operationally ready' for UN flights if a political agreement were reached. However, a full and sustained reopening is entirely contingent on a lasting political settlement to the Yemeni Civil War. Major obstacles remain, including the need for complete demilitarization of the site, extensive reconstruction of all infrastructure, and a political agreement between the Houthi movement and the internationally recognized government on its control and operation.