Houthis fire missiles at Aden airport, Saudi forces intercept missile near Riyadh

Houthi missile attack on Aden airport

Yemen’s internationally recognised government accused the Houthis of firing ballistic missiles and drones at Aden International Airport. The Ministry of Transport said the attackers targeted the runway and passenger terminal with at least two missiles and several drones. One missile landed near the runway minutes before a Yemeni flight from Cairo was due to land. The ministry cancelled the landing, diverted the flight to Jeddah, evacuated the terminal and removed two planes from the tarmac.

Saudi interception near Riyadh

Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis north of its capital. Major-General Turki al-Maliki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition, said the launch platform was tracked via an intelligence system over Sanaa and would be destroyed.

Context

The attacks come amid intensified fighting in Yemen, with Saudi-backed forces launching a counter-offensive to retake the Red Sea port of Mocha and surrounding areas. The Houthis also claimed to have targeted Saudi military supplies at the Badr camp near Aden and said they had targeted Saudi international airports in Riyadh and Abha. The broader regional tensions are linked to the US-Israel war on Iran.