The Houthis attacked Aden International Airport in southern Yemen with ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones early Wednesday, according to Yemen’s Transport Ministry, as fighting intensified across several fronts between the Iran-aligned group and Saudi-backed government forces.
The ministry said one missile landed near the airport’s runway just minutes before a flight from Cairo was scheduled to land. Authorities cancelled the landing and diverted the aircraft to Jeddah, while two other planes on the runway were moved away from the area over fears of further attacks.
There was no immediate comment from the Houthis.
Aden International Airport serves as the main international gateway for parts of Yemen outside Houthi control.
The attack came as Yemeni government forces, backed by Saudi-led coalition air support, launched a rapid counter-offensive this week to retake territory along the Red Sea coast near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait shipping route and the city of Mocha.
The Yemeni government said its forces had pushed the Houthis out of areas they seized last month, intensifying a conflict that has lasted for more than a decade and contributed to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
The Saudi-led coalition, which supports Yemen’s internationally recognised government, said it had intercepted and destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile north of Riyadh.
The coalition said it was tracking the launch platform in Houthi-controlled Sanaa and would destroy it, but did not provide details of casualties or damage.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group had targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with several drones. Saudi authorities did not immediately confirm an attack on the airport.
The Houthis also claimed to have attacked Abha International Airport and an airbase in Khamis Mushait with ballistic missiles and drones.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted and destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile launched towards Khamis Mushait. It was not immediately clear whether the reported Houthi attack was connected to that missile.
The Houthis seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014, prompting Saudi Arabia to lead a military coalition into the conflict over concerns about Iran’s influence and instability along its borders.
A UN-brokered truce in 2022 largely halted heavy fighting but failed to produce a lasting political settlement. The latest escalation has been linked to spillover from the Iran conflict.
The Saudi-led coalition accuses Iran of arming, training and funding the Houthis, while the group denies being part of Iran’s regional proxy network and says it develops its own weapons. Tehran also rejects the allegations.
Ojo Triumph
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