Houthi missiles aimed at Aden airport
Two missiles were reportedly aimed at the international airport, according to Aden’s security service; no casualties have been reported.
Follow-up to: Yemen reports more than 270 killed in fresh fighting Tuesday, 6 October 2026, 15:40
Two missiles fired by the Houthi movement were aimed at Aden International Airport in Yemen on Wednesday morning. According to Aden’s security service, no casualties have been reported.
Aden’s security service media office reported the attack; Reuters described it. The airport is in southern Yemen and is the main international gateway for areas not controlled by the Houthis.
The missile attack comes as fighting in Yemen has flared up again. According to Yemeni officials, forces backed by Saudi Arabia have recaptured areas around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the waterway between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The Houthis have gained ground along Yemen’s west coast in recent weeks. The Saudi-backed government is carrying out the counteroffensive with air support. Precise control of several areas is difficult to establish independently.
Saudi Arabia also reported an attack on Wednesday. The Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted a ballistic missile fired at the southern Saudi city of Khamis Mushait. The claim was carried by Saudi state media and has not been independently confirmed.
Houthi-affiliated media, in turn, reported a Saudi attack in the Yemeni provinces of Ibb and Taiz. That report, too, could not immediately be independently verified. Both sides present events from their own military perspective.
The fighting around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait is also important for international shipping. The route connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is used for transport between Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Further escalation could lead to additional security measures or diversions, but it is still too early to determine the consequences for shipping.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Two missiles were aimed at Aden airport.
- No casualties have been reported.
- The attack is taking place during renewed fighting around the Red Sea.
Left
Arguments Further military escalation increases the risk to civilians and shipping. The emphasis should be on diplomacy, humanitarian access and limiting foreign military support for parties to the war.
Values Civilian protection, international law and de-escalation.
Consequences More air and missile attacks could deepen the humanitarian crisis and make negotiations more difficult.
Centre
Arguments The safety of shipping must be protected, but military measures should be limited, verifiable and linked to diplomatic pressure.
Values Proportionality, regional stability and protection of trade routes.
Consequences A combination of deterrence and negotiations could limit risks, but requires cooperation between countries that distrust one another.
Right
Arguments Attacks on an airport and threats to shipping routes must be met with a firm response. Without credible deterrence, the Houthis could expand their influence.
Values Security, deterrence and protection of international trade.
Consequences A stronger military response could reduce attacks, but could also lead to further escalation and retaliatory action.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article’s core is based on a Reuters report and additional AP context. Unconfirmed claims by the warring parties are explicitly identified as such.
- confirmed Two Houthi missiles were aimed at Aden airport. — Reported by the media office of Aden’s security service and published by Reuters. source
- confirmed No casualties have been reported. — Reuters reports that, according to the security service, no casualties have been reported. source
- confirmed The airport is the main international gateway for areas outside Houthi control. — This description appears in the Reuters report. source
- confirmed The fighting is taking place around the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait. — Reuters and AP describe the fighting around this strait. source
Editor's note
The missile attack and the absence of reported casualties are based on Reuters. Claims by the Houthis and the coalition have been attributed separately because independent verification is lacking.Sources
- Houthis launch missiles at Yemen's Aden airport as fighting intensifies — Reuters, gepubliceerd via ThePrint
- Saudi-backed Yemeni forces expel Houthi rebels from several areas around key strait — Associated Press
The story so far
- Tuesday, 6 October 2026, 15:40 Yemen reports more than 270 killed in fresh fighting
- Wednesday, 7 October 2026, 06:37 Houthi missiles aimed at Aden airport (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- NOS — „jemen aden”
- Het Parool — „jemen aden”
- Trouw — „jemen aden”