Aden airport resumes operations after Houthi strike

Airport operations restored

Aden International Airport resumed operations on Thursday morning after a 24-hour suspension, the Anadolu Agency reports. The resumption was announced by Yemen's Minister of Transport Mohsen Haidara Al-Omari during a visit to the airport, where he observed the work of the services. “Airport activity returned to normal on Thursday morning after a temporary suspension caused by the shelling carried out by the Iran-backed Houthi militia on Wednesday,” the minister said.

Impact of the strike and restoration work

On Wednesday, Yemeni authorities reported that two ballistic missiles had been fired at the airport, which they attribute to the Houthis: two civilians were wounded, the airport infrastructure was damaged, and operations were subsequently suspended. According to Al-Omari, technical crews began urgent repairs and maintenance of the damaged runway shortly after the attack, despite the risks. The minister also criticized the ongoing strikes on the airport, calling it a civilian facility serving passengers from across Yemen.

Context of the escalation

The strike came amid a military escalation in Yemen which, according to the agency, began in July and has become the most significant since the relative calm that followed the truce announced in April 2022. Since October 5, forces loyal to the internationally recognized government of Yemen have been conducting a military operation called “Yemen Dawn,” which, according to Rashad Al-Alimi, Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council, aims to return state institutions from Houthi control and retake the capital, Sanaa. The conflict in the country has continued since 2014, when the Houthis seized Sanaa and a number of other provinces, and in 2015 a Saudi Arabia-led coalition intervened in support of the recognized government.