Houthis Target Aden Airport With Missiles Amid Escalating Yemen Conflict

The attack occurred as Yemeni government forces report territorial gains in Marib province and claim to have neutralized over 430 Houthi fighters within 24 hours.

Yemen’s internationally recognized government has accused the Houthis of launching missiles at Aden International Airport, marking another escalation in the ongoing conflict. The incident follows a recent deadly assault on the presidential palace in the southern port city.

According to Yemeni Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani, two missiles struck near the airport runway on Friday, landing approximately 500 meters from an aircraft preparing for departure. He confirmed via social media platform X that all passengers and crew remained unharmed, attributing their safety to what he described as divine intervention. Al-Eryani characterized the attack as a serious breach of international law and norms.

In response, the Houthis issued a statement—cited by AFP—claiming responsibility for targeting what they referred to as a Saudi military command center in Aden’s Badr camp, along with a weapons storage facility.

This latest strike in Aden, the de facto capital of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, underscores the intensifying warfare between Saudi-backed government forces and the Iran-aligned Houthi movement. Government troops claim recent battlefield successes, particularly in Marib province, where military spokesperson Majed al-Nazili reported significant advances supported by airpower. He stated that over 430 Houthi combatants were killed or incapacitated within a single day, and more than 100 military vehicles and equipment were destroyed or damaged.

Fighting continues in other regions as well. In Taiz governorate—one of the primary theaters of combat—authorities say their forces successfully repelled multiple large-scale Houthi offensives, inflicting substantial casualties. Additionally, government units claim to have captured a drone squad linked to the Houthis operating in the Taiz area.

Humanitarian conditions in Taiz have deteriorated further as Houthi forces appear to tighten their siege around the city, disrupting supply routes toward Aden and displacing thousands of civilians.

Regional Repercussions and International Reactions

Meanwhile, the Saudi-led military coalition reported intercepting several projectiles—including missiles and drones—over Riyadh and other locations across Saudi Arabia on Friday. The kingdom continues to accuse Iran of supplying arms and logistical support to the Houthis, allegations Tehran denies.

Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected these claims, asserting no involvement in Houthi operations. The ministry also renewed its offer to mediate tensions between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia.

The roots of the conflict trace back to 2014, when the Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, seized control of Sanaa and forced the elected government into exile. A Saudi-led intervention began in 2015 to restore constitutional order, resulting in years of protracted violence and one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

A UN-brokered truce in 2022 temporarily reduced hostilities, but hostilities have resumed since July, following Houthi declarations of a naval blockade affecting vital Red Sea shipping lanes. Most recently, in September, the Houthis launched a major ground offensive in Mocha and expanded territorial control along Yemen’s western coast and the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait, including capturing Mayyun Island.

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