Yemen’s Houthi movement attacked Aden International Airport with ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones on Wednesday, the Transport Ministry said, as fighting with Saudi-backed government forces intensified.
The ministry said a missile landed near the runway shortly before a flight from Cairo was due to land, forcing authorities to cancel the landing and divert the aircraft to Jeddah.
Two other aircraft on the runway were also moved away from the area amid fears of further attacks. The Houthis did not immediately comment on the reported strike.
The escalation comes as fighting has intensified around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic shipping route that has become increasingly important for energy exports following disruptions to trade through the Strait of Hormuz during the wider US-Iran conflict.
Yemeni government forces, supported by Saudi-led coalition air strikes, launched a counter-offensive this week to recapture territory near the strait and around Mocha, which the Houthis seized in September.
Fighting has centred on the Dhubab district overlooking Bab el-Mandeb, where government forces are seeking to advance into strategic highlands to the east.
Yemeni military and government sources reported fierce clashes in the area, while the Houthis said they had repelled government attacks.
On Monday, the government said its forces had reached Mocha, which lies near a key supply route to Taiz. However, military officials and analysts later said the claim was premature.
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Hussam Radman, a researcher at the Sanaa Center, said pro-government forces, including the Giants Brigade, were seeking to capture Dhubab and advance into the mountains.
He said control of the highlands would facilitate further government advances along the coast.
The renewed fighting has revived Yemen’s 12-year conflict, which has contributed to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises and left the country deeply divided.
The Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention. A UN-brokered truce in 2022 largely halted major fighting but failed to produce a lasting political settlement.
The Saudi-led coalition said it had also intercepted and destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile launched towards the southwestern Saudi city of Khamis Mushait.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group had targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with several drones. He also claimed attacks on Abha International Airport and an airbase in Khamis Mushait.
Saudi authorities did not immediately confirm the reported airport attacks.
The Saudi-led coalition accuses Iran of supplying, training and funding the Houthis. The group denies being part of Iran’s regional proxy network, while Tehran also rejects the allegations.
