Yemen's conflict has entered a new and increasingly dangerous phase, with Iran-aligned Houthi forces launching missile attacks against Aden International Airport while Saudi Arabia reported the interception of a ballistic missile heading towards the Riyadh region.
Two missiles launched by the Houthis targeted Aden International Airport early Wednesday, according to Aden's security authorities. No casualties were immediately reported. The attack came as fighting intensified across several fronts in Yemen following a major counteroffensive by Saudi-backed government forces.
One of the missiles landed near the airport runway shortly before a flight from Cairo was expected to arrive, according to Yemen's Transport Ministry. The flight was subsequently diverted to Jeddah, while two aircraft on the ground were moved away from the area amid fears of further attacks.
Missile threat reported near Riyadh
The Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen's internationally recognised government said its air-defence systems intercepted and destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile launched towards the area north of Riyadh.
The coalition said it was tracking the launch platform and indicated that the missile originated from territory controlled by the Houthis. No casualties or significant damage were immediately reported in connection with the intercepted missile.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree separately claimed that the group had targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with drones and had carried out attacks against other Saudi targets. Saudi authorities had not independently confirmed those particular claims.
Fighting intensifies along Red Sea coast
The latest missile attacks come as Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces push to regain territory captured by the Houthis along Yemen's strategically important Red Sea coast.
Government forces, supported by Saudi air power, have launched an offensive aimed at retaking areas around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the coastal city of Mocha. The strategic waterway links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is one of the world's most important maritime routes.
The renewed ground offensive has triggered a broader Houthi response, with the group claiming missile and drone attacks against airports, military facilities and other infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi authorities have also reported that Houthi attacks damaged airports in Jazan and Najran, with three people reportedly suffering light injuries.
Growing regional implications
The escalation threatens to widen a conflict that has already created one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises. It also raises fresh concerns over security around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial passage for international shipping and energy supplies.
The latest fighting follows the collapse of a period of relative calm in Yemen, with the Houthis making territorial gains along the Red Sea coast before Saudi-backed forces launched their counteroffensive.
With missile and drone attacks now extending beyond Yemen's battlefields, the conflict risks developing into a broader regional confrontation involving Saudi Arabia and other regional powers.
For civilians in Yemen, meanwhile, the renewed fighting brings the prospect of further displacement, disruption to essential services and a deepening humanitarian crisis.
Source: Reuters, Associated Press, Anadolu Agency
