Houthi attack on Aden airport... missile intercepted over Riyadh

In the context of its ongoing attacks on vital civilian and economic infrastructure, the Houthi group “Ansar Allah” attacked Aden International Airport today, the main international gateway to the areas liberated from the Houthis. At the same time, Saudi forces intercepted a missile fired toward Riyadh, as fighting intensified between the Iran-aligned group and Yemeni government forces backed by the Saudi-led coalition.

Concurrently, the Houthis targeted Aden International Airport with two ballistic missiles and several explosive-laden drones in an attack that nearly caused an aviation disaster. One of the missiles landed near the runway just minutes before the landing of Yemenia Airlines Flight 603, arriving from Cairo.

Yemeni authorities were forced to divert the flight to Jeddah and evacuate passengers and staff, while also keeping two civilian aircraft away from the danger zone. No casualties were reported, according to initial information.

On the ground, the “Fajr al-Yemen” (Yemen Dawn) operation expanded to Marib, with government forces taking control of positions on the southern front and advancing toward the strategic Um Rish camp. This coincided with shelling of Houthi concentrations in Qurn al-Bur and Um Rish camp, resulting in dozens of fighters killed or wounded, according to a military statement.

In Taiz, the armed forces and joint forces entered the Wazia’ia district and began clearing operations against the Houthis, following their control of a mountain range overlooking Al-Mansoura and the Al-Barah intersection.

On the western coast, the Southern Giants Forces broke a Houthi attack on their positions in the Airport sector of the Dhobab district, overlooking the Bab al-Mandab strait. They forced the attackers to retreat after inflicting casualties and material losses, following the government forces’ takeover of Dhobab and its airport, and the cutting of the coastal road linking Al-Mukha and Bab al-Mandab.

The UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported today that the number of displaced persons since the outbreak of the latest round of fighting has risen to more than 200,000.

IOM Director General Amy Pope, calling for increased funding as food and shelter needs grow, stated: “People are fleeing to save their lives and cannot find a safe place to seek refuge.”

The day after the Saudi-led coalition command announced a naval operation in the Al-Hudaydah governorate, it said it had thwarted a Houthi plot for imminent attacks targeting waterways in the southern Red Sea. US Central Command (CENTCOM) Fifth Fleet Commander, Curt Renshaw, visited Riyadh, where he held talks with the Chief of Staff of the Saudi Navy, Lieutenant General Mohammed Al-Ghribi.

This came as two Turkish officials said today that Ankara is sending defensive and technological support to Saudi Arabia, following commitments by Turkey and Pakistan to implement their obligations under a joint defense agreement within a new alliance.

The United Arab Emirates strongly condemned today the continued Houthi targeting of civilians and civilian and economic infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, as well as ships in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab strait, affirming that this constitutes a blatant violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and a threat to its security and stability, while reaffirming its full solidarity with Saudi Arabia.

The Qatari Cabinet renewed today its strongest condemnation of the Houthi militias’ attacks and their desecration of Islamic holy sites, affirming its full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its steadfast support for all legitimate measures taken to preserve the Kingdom’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity.

European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica, stated that Houthi attacks on civilians and vital infrastructure are unacceptable, and called for an end to escalation and respect for freedom of navigation and regional security.