Houthis Strike Aden Airport Following Saudi Weapons Allegations

The Houthi movement launched two ballistic missiles at Aden International Airport on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. The strike, the sixth against the facility in several days, caused material damage and civilian injuries, forcing a temporary suspension of air traffic at the critical humanitarian gateway. Prior to the attack, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree issued a final warning for civilians to evacuate, claiming a Saudi military cargo plane was transporting weapons to the city.

The Yemeni Ministry of Transport condemned the strike as a threat to civil aviation safety, while Colonel Majid Al-Nuzaily of the Yemeni Armed Forces described the attack as part of a hostile agenda targeting vital infrastructure. While government forces reported civilian casualties, an aid source noted that UN staff evacuated shortly before the missiles hit and remained unharmed.

In response, the Yemeni military reported conducting 749 strikes against Houthi targets within a 24-hour period, claiming to have destroyed 117 vehicles and neutralized 239 militia members. This escalation follows the collapse of a 2022 UN-brokered truce and coincides with intensified fighting along the Red Sea coast and the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait.