Aden International Airport in southern Yemen was hit by two Houthi militia missiles on Friday, according to local security authorities, coinciding with an announcement from a Saudi-led military coalition that it intercepted a ballistic missile aimed at the Red Sea oil port of Yanbu.
The strike on Aden’s airport grounds marks the second attack on the transport facility in under a week. The Aden Security Department confirmed that no casualties were reported from the incident, which occurred while a Yemenia Airways passenger flight bound for Cairo was preparing for takeoff. The Houthi militant movement did not immediately issue a claim of responsibility for the airport strike.
Simultaneously, the Saudi-led military coalition stated it had shot down a ballistic missile directed toward Yanbu, a major strategic oil outlet that enables Saudi crude exports to reach international markets via the Red Sea without passing through the vulnerable Strait of Hormuz. In addition to the Yanbu interception, coalition air defense forces destroyed two cruise missiles over the Red Sea as well as three attack drones over Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh and Southern regions, though official coalition statements did not explicitly identify those responsible for those specific aerial assaults.
The escalation triggered fresh safety alerts from Saudi Civil Defense authorities in the southwestern city of Khamis Mushait and the Jazan region, where such warnings have recurred frequently since hostilities resumed last month. Global energy markets reacted to the regional volatility, with Brent crude briefly climbing to $110 per barrel on Friday—reaching that level for the first time since May amid fears that intensifying Middle East tensions could restrict global supplies.
The renewed fighting between Houthi forces and the Saudi-backed coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government has raised grave concerns among aid agencies, who warn that conditions are deteriorating rapidly. The conflict in Yemen has expanded as another front within the wider regional war that erupted following the US and Israeli war on Iran in February.
Yemen’s civil conflict originally began in 2014 when Houthi militia seized the capital city of Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led intervention the following year. After years of military stalemate, a 2022 truce held until conflict reignited earlier this year. Since fighting resumed, Houthi forces have repeatedly launched drones and missiles targeting Saudi infrastructure, airports, and oil facilities, while also striking government-controlled territories within Yemen, including Aden’s presidential palace and its international airport in the interim capital.
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Md. Kazi Bijoy is a dedicated tech enthusiast and content creator with a passion for digital innovation. With years of experience in the tech industry, he specializes in breaking down complex topics into easy-to-understand guides. When he isn’t writing, he explores the latest gadgets and researches emerging trends in the digital world.