Saudi Arabia welcomed Jordan's initiative to launch regular commercial flights between Amman and Sanaa, describing the step as humanitarian and saying it will help meet the needs of the Yemeni people and facilitate civilian travel.
Regular scheduled service between the Jordanian and Yemeni capitals restores a civilian air link that has operated only intermittently through years of conflict.
Two Tracks at Once
The welcome came days after the Saudi Ministry of Defense said its air defenses dealt with ballistic missiles launched from Yemen toward the Kingdom's southern region.
The two positions run in parallel rather than in contradiction. Saudi policy on Yemen has for several years separated the military track from the humanitarian one: intercepting attacks while supporting measures that ease conditions for the civilian population.
Backing a commercial air corridor into Sanaa is consistent with that separation. It benefits Yemeni civilians directly, requires no change in the Kingdom's security posture, and keeps a channel of normal life open in a country where those channels are scarce.