Yemen’s internationally recognized government announced on Monday that direct flights will start in February from Sana'a to Amman and Cairo to transport patients with serious medical conditions. 

The move comes in response to international pressure on the Saudi-led coalition to restart flights from Sana’a International Airport after the Houthis’ earlier reluctance to run it as a domestic airport for flights to Aden, which is under the control of forces loyal to President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. 

"This humanitarian step is aimed at alleviating the suffering of citizens who are unable to afford to travel by road to other airports in the republic,” Yemen’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement to state-run Saba News agency.

Coinciding with the Yemeni government’s announcement, Saudi-led coalition spokesman Col. Turki Al-Maliki said that the joint forces command of the coalition will launch the medevac “mercy  flights,” as UN Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths refers to them, in cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO). 

The coalition had suspended flights from Sana’a since 2016.