The Houthi group launched a series of attacks on Wednesday, targeting the international airport in Aden, Yemen, with ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones, according to Yemen's Transport Ministry. The attack occurred early in the morning, with one missile landing near the runway at Aden International Airport, just minutes before a flight from Cairo was scheduled to land. Authorities cancelled the landing and diverted the aircraft to Jeddah, while two planes on the runway were moved to a safer location due to fears of further strikes.
The escalation in violence comes as fighting intensifies across several fronts between the Houthis and Saudi-backed government forces. The Saudi-led coalition, which supports Yemen's internationally recognized government, has been pushing to retake strategic territory seized by the Houthis. Recently, Yemeni government forces, with Saudi-led coalition air support, launched a counter-offensive to capture the Red Sea coast around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait shipping route and the city of Mocha.
The Saudi-led coalition reported that it had intercepted and destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile north of the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The coalition also said it was tracking the launch platform over Houthi-controlled Sana'a and would destroy it. The Houthi military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, claimed that the group had targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with several drones, although there was no immediate Saudi confirmation of the attack.
The conflict in Yemen has led to one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with the Houthis controlling much of the country's north. The group seized the capital, Sana'a, in 2014, prompting a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia to intervene. A UN-brokered truce in 2022 largely halted heavy fighting, but it did not lead to a lasting settlement, and the latest fighting has been triggered by a 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 Middle East proxy network and claims to develop its own weapons. Tehran also rejects the allegations. The Houthis have emerged as a force of tens of thousands with missiles and drones that threaten the region.
In addition to the attack on Aden airport, the Houthis also launched attacks on Abha International Airport and an airbase in Khamis Mushait with ballistic missiles and drones, according to Yahya Saree. However, Saudi authorities did not immediately confirm the attack on Abha airport. The Saudi-led coalition reported that it had intercepted and destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile launched towards the southwestern Saudi city of Khamis Mushait.
The ongoing conflict in Yemen has resulted in a complex 12-year war that has fragmented the Arab world's most impoverished country. The latest escalation in violence has revived concerns about the humanitarian crisis in Yemen and the potential for further instability in the region. The situation remains volatile, with both sides suffering casualties and damage.
Key points
- The Houthis launched a missile and drone attack on Aden International Airport, prompting the diversion of a flight from Cairo to Jeddah.
- The Saudi-led coalition intercepted and destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile north of Riyadh, and reported tracking the launch platform over Houthi-controlled Sana'a.
- The conflict in Yemen has led to one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with the Houthis controlling much of the country's north and the Saudi-led coalition supporting the internationally recognized government.
