Missile strikes halt flights at Aden airport, prompting Yemen's appeal for action

Strikes follow evacuation warning

An Aden police official told AFP that a missile had targeted the airport for the second time on Wednesday. The official, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject, said: "A Houthi missile targeted the area under Saudi forces' control inside the perimeter of Aden airport."

Before the attack, a spokesperson for the Iran-backed Houthis urged people to leave the airport and warned of a possible further strike. Reuters reported that the attack followed the evacuation warning and that air traffic was subsequently suspended.

The Houthis alleged that Saudi Arabia was moving weapons through the airport to Yemen's internationally recognized government, which is based in Aden. That claim has not been independently verified.

Ministry seeks international response

Yemen's Transport Ministry said the October 28 strikes brought the number of Houthi attacks on the airport to six within a few days. It described the repeated attacks as a "direct threat" to passengers, flight crews and airport workers, and said they also put civil aviation and humanitarian and relief operations at risk.

The ministry urged the United Nations and organizations including the International Civil Aviation Organization to condemn the strikes and act urgently. Arab News also reported the ministry's warning that the attacks threatened civilian lives and air navigation safety.

The airport serves as a major gateway to southern Yemen, including for aid workers and shipments of medical supplies and other humanitarian assistance.

Earlier attacks disrupted passenger flights

Yemen's Saudi-backed government has reported repeated missile attacks on the airport during October. In an October 7 assault involving at least two ballistic missiles and several drones, one missile came down near the runway shortly before a passenger flight from Cairo was expected to arrive, according to the Transport Ministry. Authorities diverted the flight to Jeddah to protect those aboard.

A separate attack in Aden on October 15 targeted the Al-Maashiq Presidential Palace. Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani said the Houthis fired five missiles, killing five people and injuring 16. The government said Prime Minister Shaya al-Zindani and other officials were safe, although two of his bodyguards were killed.

On October 16, Yemenia Flight 612 was preparing to depart for Cairo when two missiles struck the airport grounds, the Aden Security Department said. It blamed the Houthis and described the incident as the airport's second attack in less than a week.

Al-Eryani put the distance between the missile impacts and the aircraft at about 500 meters (1,600 feet). No casualties were reported. Al Hadath TV said flights resumed after a temporary suspension.

Escalation beyond the airport

The attacks came during a month of renewed fighting. On October 4, Presidential Leadership Council President Rashad al-Alimi announced "Operation Dawn of Yemen," aimed at retaking Houthi-controlled territory, including Sanaa. The Saudi-led coalition said it deployed 100 fighter jets in the operation, acknowledging for the first time since 2022 that it had resumed air attacks against the Houthis.

UN special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg told the Security Council on October 9 that the country had returned to "full-scale war."

Al Jazeera reported in mid-October that the Security Council had condemned escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including attacks affecting civil aviation and energy infrastructure. The International Civil Aviation Organization's governing council also condemned recent attacks on civilian airports and aircraft in Saudi Arabia.

Aden airport suffered a deadly attack in December 2020 as a new cabinet arrived from Saudi Arabia. At least 22 people were killed. The Saudi-led coalition attributed that attack to the Houthis, who denied responsibility.