World Affairs
Yemen says missile fell near Aden airport runway
Yemen blames the Houthis for the Aden attack; the group said its target was a nearby camp. GACA later reported deaths at two Saudi airports, while a new Riyadh strike claim remains unconfirmed.
Executive summary
- The airport attack: Yemen's Transport Ministry says two ballistic missiles and explosive drones targeted Aden International Airport early Wednesday, and that one missile landed near the runway. The ministry says the incoming flight from Cairo was diverted to Jeddah, but AP, citing FlightAware data, reports Yemenia Flight 603 landed in Aden at 3:30 a.m. The accounts conflict, and the sources reviewed do not resolve the flight's route.[1][2][3][4]
- The competing account: The Houthis said their target was Saudi military supplies at Badr camp near the airport. Aden security authorities told AP that the airport was targeted and that there were no casualties. The competing statements do not independently establish where the missiles landed or what was damaged.[3][4]
- The Saudi front: GACA later reported that attacks on Abha and King Khalid airports killed three residents and injured 36. It did not identify a perpetrator; Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed the group targeted both airports. A further Houthi claim of a ballistic strike on King Khalid on Oct. 8 had no immediate Saudi confirmation.[5][4][6][7]
Yemen's internationally recognized government said a Houthi missile landed near the runway at Aden International Airport early Wednesday, shortly before a civilian flight from Cairo was scheduled to arrive. The Transport Ministry said two ballistic missiles and several explosive-laden drones targeted the airport's runway and passenger terminal. Reuters and Al Jazeera reported the ministry's account; the reported strike location and damage have not been independently verified.[1][2][3]
The Transport Ministry said the incoming Yemenia flight was diverted to Jeddah and that airport officials evacuated the terminal and moved aircraft away from the runway. AP, citing FlightAware, said Yemenia Flight 603 landed safely at Aden at 3:30 a.m. The ministry and flight-tracking accounts conflict over the plane's route; reporting reviewed here does not explain the difference. The ministry said a missile landed near the runway, not on it, and the sources did not confirm damage to the runway or terminal.[1][2][3][4]
The Houthis said their operation targeted Saudi military supplies arriving at Badr camp near the airport. Saudi Arabia backs Yemen's internationally recognized government. Aden security authorities told AP there were no casualties. The Houthi account does not verify the government's description of the missile impact, while the ministry's statement does not establish whether the camp was the intended target.[3][4]
The attack came as Houthi forces and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces fought on several fronts. The government and its allies launched a counteroffensive this week aimed at recapturing territory near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the port city of Mocha, Reuters reported. The strait is a major shipping route between the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Earlier claims about control of the area remain contested, and this airport strike does not establish who controls the shipping lane.[2][4][3]
Since this article's initial publication, Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation has reported that attacks on Abha and King Khalid airports on Oct. 6 and 7 killed three residents and injured 36. GACA's statement did not name a perpetrator. Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed the group targeted both airports; separately, a Saudi-led coalition spokesperson said forces intercepted a ballistic missile north of Riyadh. AP said it could not independently verify the coalition's account.[5][4][6][8]
On Oct. 8, the Houthis made a separate claim that they had launched a ballistic missile at King Khalid airport. Reuters reported no immediate Saudi confirmation. GACA's casualty report establishes deaths and injuries in the earlier attacks, but the latest statement does not establish that the new missile claim reached the airport.[5][7]