Fighting in Yemen intensified on Wednesday as Houthi forces launched ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones at Aden International Airport, according to Yemen’s Transport Ministry. One missile landed near the airport’s runway just minutes before a flight from Cairo was scheduled to land. Authorities cancelled the landing and diverted the aircraft to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia as a precaution, while two planes on the ground were moved away from the area amid fears of further attacks.
The airport attack comes as clashes between the Iran-aligned Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces have intensified around the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Government forces, backed by Saudi-led coalition air support, are attempting to regain territory recently captured by the Houthis near the strait and the town of Mocha. The Bab el-Mandeb is a critical global shipping route, making the renewed fighting a major concern for international trade and energy supplies.
The latest escalation is also worsening Yemen’s already severe humanitarian crisis. The International Organization for Migration said more than 200,000 people have been displaced since the latest fighting began in early September, with thousands more fleeing the country by sea. The conflict is also creating fresh concerns for global energy markets, with oil prices rising amid fears that instability around key Middle Eastern shipping routes could disrupt supplies.