Houthis fire two missiles at Aden airport; passengers unharmed

The Houthis, allies of the Islamic Republic in Yemen, fired two missiles on Friday, 16 October 2026, at Aden International Airport, the temporary seat of Yemen's internationally recognised government. The attack came a day after a missile and drone attack on Aden's Maashiq Palace that, according to Yemen's health minister, left five dead and 16 wounded.

Moammar al-Eryani, Yemen's information minister, said two missiles landed near the airport runway, about 500 metres from a plane preparing to take off, and that all passengers and crew are safe. He called the attacks a flagrant violation of international law and norms. In a statement, the Houthis claimed they had targeted the command headquarters of Saudi forces at Badr camp in Aden province and a weapons depot.

The Marib and Taiz fronts

Majed al-Nazili, the Yemeni government's military spokesman, said government forces, backed by air support, had advanced in eastern Marib and seized key positions. He claimed more than 430 Houthi fighters were put out of action in 24 hours and more than 100 vehicles and pieces of military equipment destroyed; these figures have not been independently confirmed. In Taiz, government forces also reported repelling several major Houthi attacks and arresting a Houthi drone team. The Houthis have besieged the city by closing the main road from Taiz to Aden.

The Saudi-led coalition also reported on Friday that it had intercepted Houthi missiles and drones over Riyadh and other parts of Saudi Arabia.

The Islamic Republic's role

Saudi Arabia accuses the Islamic Republic of encouraging, arming and training the Houthis. Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesman for the Islamic Republic's foreign ministry, rejected the accusation and repeated an offer to mediate between the Houthis and Riyadh. EU leaders also condemned the Houthis' escalating attacks on Saudi Arabia and civilian ships in the final statement of Friday's Brussels summit.

Since June this year the Houthis have declared a naval blockade of Saudi ports and of shipping in the Bab al-Mandab, and in late summer they drove government forces out of the port of Mocha in a ground assault and seized Mayun island in the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

The missiles of the Houthis, allies of the Islamic Republic, landed only 500 metres from a passenger plane at Aden airport.