Dr. Mukhtar Al-Riyash, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Endowments for Hajj and Umrah Affairs in the Yemeni government, confirmed that “after mediation and pressure, the Houthis became in an embarrassing position in front of the world and the stranded pilgrims and their relatives, so they were forced to release the detained planes to improve their image,” he said.

Al-Rabash continued in press statements to the Arm News website, “We have made our arrangements to serve the stranded pilgrims, to provide housing, subsistence, medical care and other services, and we have also facilitated the return of the pilgrims by air to Aden and by land to Sana’a.”

Al-Rabash added, "They were informed of the preparation to transport the remaining pilgrims in Jeddah, via one of the Yemeni Airlines planes held by the Houthis."

On the same level, sources at the Civil Aviation Authority in Aden said, “On Friday, the three planes that were seized by the Houthis while transporting Yemeni pilgrims from Saudi Arabia to Sana’a will be released.”

The sources explained that “two of the three planes will go to Aden International Airport, and the third will go to the city of Jeddah, to bring the Yemeni pilgrims who were stuck in Saudi Arabia.”

This coincided with the Hajj and Umrah Sector of the Yemen Pilgrims Affairs Office issuing, on Thursday, a circular in which it was stated that the Yemeni Airlines office in Jeddah had informed them, “The transfer of stranded Sana’a pilgrims has been approved, from Jeddah Airport to Sana’a Airport, in two batches.” .

According to the circular, “The first flight will depart this Friday afternoon, while the second flight will take place in the morning.”