Houthis Strike Aden Airport With Ballistic Missiles as Reported Saudi Airstrikes Kill 14 in Yemen

ADEN (Terror Monitor) — Yemen’s internationally recognised government has accused the Iran-aligned Houthi movement of launching two ballistic missile attacks on Aden International Airport on Wednesday, October 28, as fighting escalated across the war-torn country. The attacks disrupted air traffic at the southern city’s main airport, while the Houthi-run Health Ministry reported that Saudi-led airstrikes killed at least 14 people in a crowded market in northern Yemen.

Yemen’s Transport Ministry said Aden International Airport was targeted twice, at approximately 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. local time, bringing the reported number of attacks on the facility to six in recent days.

The ministry condemned the strikes, warning that repeated attacks on the airport posed a direct threat to passengers, flight crews and airport personnel, while disrupting civilian travel and humanitarian operations.

According to Reuters, Yemeni government officials said the latest attack caused civilian injuries and material damage. Airport operations were suspended following the strike, while an aid source told the agency that some United Nations personnel had left the airport shortly beforehand and that no UN staff members were injured.

The Associated Press also reported explosions at the airport that shattered windows in the terminal building and nearby homes.

Houthis issue evacuation warning before attack

The latest attacks followed a warning from Houthi military spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree, who urged everyone at Aden International Airport to evacuate immediately.

In a statement posted on X, Saree claimed that a Saudi military cargo aircraft was present at the airport carrying weapons intended for use against Yemenis.

He said the group’s forces were calling on all personnel and other people at the facility to leave because of the alleged presence of the aircraft.

The spokesperson did not provide publicly verifiable evidence to support the claim that the aircraft was transporting weapons.

The evacuation warning caused the airport to empty as people sought to leave the area. An airport employee told the Associated Press that the facility had been deserted following the warning.

The internationally recognised Yemeni government subsequently accused the Houthis of carrying out the missile attacks. Two Aden police sources also told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that two missiles had struck the airport.

The Houthis’ allegation about the Saudi aircraft and the circumstances surrounding the attack could not be independently verified in the available reporting.

Airport attacks disrupt civilian and humanitarian travel

Aden International Airport serves as a major gateway for southern Yemen, providing an important connection for civilians, patients, aid workers and people travelling abroad.

The Transport Ministry said repeated attacks were threatening civil aviation safety and undermining the movement of passengers and humanitarian assistance.

The disruption has also affected scheduled flights. According to South24 Center, flights arriving from Mumbai and Cairo were diverted to other airports after they were unable to land in Aden because of the security situation.

The ministry called on the international community and relevant United Nations agencies, particularly the International Civil Aviation Organization, to condemn the attacks and take urgent measures to protect civilian airports and aviation facilities.

The latest incident follows a series of attacks on Aden airport this month. Yemen’s government said two ballistic missiles struck the facility on October 24, bringing the reported number of attacks to four at that point. The latest two attacks raised the total to six in recent days, according to the Transport Ministry.

The repeated targeting of the airport has heightened concerns about the safety of civilian infrastructure as the conflict spreads across additional areas of Yemen.

Houthi authorities report 14 killed in Al-Jawf

Separately, the Houthi-run Al-Masirah television network accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out airstrikes on Al-Hazm, the provincial capital of Al-Jawf in northwestern Yemen.

The Houthi-controlled Health Ministry initially reported that 13 people had been killed and 16 wounded. Later reports placed the toll at 14 killed and 15 injured.

According to the ministry, the strikes hit a central market during busy shopping hours, as well as nearby homes and a fuel station. Women and children were reportedly among the casualties.

The ministry said the attacks caused extensive damage to shops and residential properties in the surrounding area.

The casualty figures and circumstances of the reported airstrikes have not been independently verified. The Saudi-backed Yemeni government had not issued an immediate public response to the allegations in the reports available on Wednesday.

The reported strike adds to the civilian toll of Yemen’s renewed fighting, with residential areas and commercial facilities increasingly exposed to the consequences of military operations.

Wider conflict intensifies across Yemen

The latest developments come as fighting intensifies between the Houthis and forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia.

The conflict has expanded beyond front-line fighting, with missile attacks, airstrikes and threats against strategically important infrastructure increasing the risks to civilians.

The Houthis have also claimed attacks against Saudi oil facilities, airports and military installations as the wider regional war involving Iran, the United States and Israel has intensified.

Saudi Arabia has faced renewed missile and drone threats, while Saudi-backed Yemeni forces have continued operations against Houthi positions.

The escalation has raised concerns about the security of important maritime routes near the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a key passage connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and international shipping lanes.

Any prolonged disruption around these routes could affect commercial shipping, humanitarian deliveries and regional trade.

Taiz faces worsening humanitarian pressure

Meanwhile, Yemen’s internationally recognised government has appealed for international support amid the worsening situation in Taiz, where Houthi forces have maintained a prolonged siege and restricted important supply routes.

The city has faced shortages of essential supplies, deteriorating access to drinking water and growing pressure on already limited public services.

The Associated Press reported on Wednesday that government officials were seeking international assistance to protect civilians as the siege tightened. The agency said some claims about the scale of the humanitarian crisis could not be independently verified.

The latest attacks on Aden airport and the reported casualties in Al-Jawf underscore the widening consequences of the conflict, which continues to affect civilian transport, commercial activity and access to humanitarian assistance.

International concern grows over civilian infrastructure

Yemen’s Transport Ministry has called for international action to prevent further attacks on Aden International Airport, stressing that civilian aviation facilities must be protected.

The latest missile strikes have disrupted a vital transport route at a time when millions of Yemenis depend on limited access to essential services and humanitarian assistance.

Meanwhile, the reported airstrikes in Al-Jawf have raised further concerns over the protection of civilians in populated areas.

The competing allegations surrounding the airport attack and the reported Saudi-led strikes highlight the difficulty of independently verifying information from active conflict zones.

For now, the confirmed developments include the suspension of airport operations following the attack, reports of damage and civilian injuries, and the Houthi-run Health Ministry’s announcement of casualties in Al-Jawf. Further independent verification is needed to establish the full extent of the damage and the circumstances of the reported deaths.

Sources: Terror Monitor, Reuters, Associated Press, Agence France-Presse (AFP), Yemen’s Transport Ministry, and South24 Center.