SANAA, Yemen — Yemen’s Houthis on Friday threatened Saudi airports and vital assets should Riyadh violate its airspace or attempt to attack it, as the rebels accused the kingdom of trying to stop an Iranian plane from landing.

The threats followed a time of relative calm between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed rebels, which did not target Gulf states during the Middle East war that saw Iran pummel its oil-rich neighbours.

“We warn the criminal Saudi enemy against repeating any attempt to violate our airspace or any aggression targeting our country,” Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a video statement. “Such actions will be met with a comprehensive response targeting its airports and vital interests on land and sea.”

Saree said the rebels had thwarted an attempt by Saudi warplanes to infiltrate their airspace at 5:20 am (0220 GMT) in a bid “to prevent an Iranian civilian aircraft carrying more than 200 stranded, wounded and sick citizens from landing at Sanaa International Airport.”

Houthi media earlier reported that the aircraft had headed back to Tehran carrying the Houthi delegation meant to........

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