The Houthis (Ansar Allah movement) targeted Aden Airport on Wednesday, October 28. This attack came after the Iran-aligned group warned residents of the area to evacuate the airport. Hostilities in Yemen, a country in a critical state, have intensified.
Details of the Airport Attack
Residents of the port city of Aden, which is the base of the Saudi and international-backed government, reported hearing explosions near the airport. Aden Airport is recognized as a humanitarian lifeline and the main gateway into southern Yemen. According to two officials from the Ministry of Transport, air traffic was halted following the attack. Aid sources also reported that some UN staff left the airport before the attack and were unharmed.
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Escalation of Hostilities and Humanitarian Impact
Yahya Sari, a spokesperson for the Houthis, stated in a message on social media X that the evacuation warning was issued due to the presence of a Saudi military cargo plane carrying weapons. Currently, no response from Saudi officials regarding this matter has been reported. The Houthis, who control the capital Sanaa and large parts of northwestern Yemen, have previously targeted Aden Airport multiple times. Additionally, residents reported hearing explosions in other parts of the city before the warning was issued.
The International Organization for Migration announced that its personnel traveling through Aden Airport are safe following reports of the attack. This attack occurs as hostilities between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition supporting the Yemeni government have intensified in recent weeks, opening a new front in the broader U.S. and Israeli war against Iran.
Last month, Houthi forces advanced towards the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the most important maritime transport routes in the world. Government forces have also taken action to reclaim land along the Red Sea coast, while the coalition has intensified its attacks on Houthi positions. These developments come as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reported that one of their planes had to cancel a flight due to a missile strike near Aden Airport.
The escalation of these hostilities has disrupted the ceasefire between the Houthis and the Saudi coalition that was achieved in 2022, severely worsening the humanitarian conditions in a country facing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.
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