UAE-Backed Bab al-Mandab Airport in Yemen Prepares for Operations

Bab al-Mandab International Airport in Yemen is nearing operational status as the second civil airport in the country’s southwest, enabled by funding from the United Arab Emirates. The airport will facilitate both domestic and international flights, expanding air travel options in the region.

On Monday, the Resistance’s Public Works Department officially transferred control of the newly constructed airport in Dhubab district to Yemen’s Ministry of Transport. The facility overlooks the strategically vital Bab al-Mandab Strait, located south of the Red Sea within Taiz governorate.

Strategic Handover and Operational Plans

Lieutenant General Tariq Saleh, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council and commander of the National Resistance Forces, directed the handover and urged the Ministry of Transport to register the airport with the International Civil Aviation Organization. He emphasized the need to prepare Bab al-Mandab Airport for full operation as an international gateway serving Taiz, whose main airport suffered extensive damage during the conflict and remains under Houthi militia control.

The airport project spans approximately 24,000 square meters and was developed over recent years with UAE support aimed at bolstering Yemen’s civil aviation infrastructure. It includes a passenger terminal, runway built to international aviation standards, an air traffic control tower, and fire service facilities, all designed to accommodate various types of aircraft.

Impact on Yemen’s Aviation and Civilian Mobility

Activating Bab al-Mandab Airport is expected to strengthen Yemen’s civil aviation capabilities and alleviate travel difficulties for civilians and patients from remote areas seeking to fly abroad. Currently, the only international airports under government control are located in Aden and Seiyun.

In April 2024, the Yemeni government inaugurated Al-Mokha International Airport in southwest Taiz, another UAE-funded project, marking a significant development in the country’s aviation sector. Al-Mokha Airport now serves as a new air travel hub for residents of Taiz and the western coastal regions, connecting them to regional and international destinations.

However, in February of this year, Houthi militias blocked the first flight arriving from Saudi Arabia at Al-Mokha Airport’s runway and threatened to target the aircraft and its passengers, forcing the flight to return to its origin.