Aden International Airport was struck by a ballistic missile on Wednesday, marking the third direct attack targeting the strategic aviation hub since the start of October. Yemeni sources reported hearing a massive explosion followed by dense plumes of smoke billowing from the airport grounds.
Initial field reports indicated that the incoming projectile impacted the facility’s primary runway.
Video: Arab media
According to regional Arab media, the strike is part of a deliberate pattern of recurring attacks aimed at crippling essential infrastructure in Aden, which has functioned as the temporary administrative capital of Yemen’s internationally recognized government since Houthi forces seized Sana’a. As of Wednesday afternoon, official authorities had not issued verified details concerning casualties, the precise scale of structural runway damage, or an official notice suspending commercial flight operations.
The missile launch comes amid heavy clashes and follows an extensive counter-offensive conducted by Yemeni government forces over the preceding 24 hours. State military operations included about 1,164 combined strikes using fighter jets, unmanned aerial vehicles, heavy artillery, and multiple-launch rocket systems across multiple combat sectors. According to military statements, those preemptive and retaliatory government strikes resulted in the elimination of 558 Houthi terrorists and the destruction of 135 military vehicles and operational combat platforms throughout the operational theater.