Yemen says Houthi missiles and drones hit Aden airport, forcing flight to divert
In short
Yemen's government transport ministry said the Houthi movement attacked Aden International Airport early on 7 October with two ballistic missiles and multiple explosive-laden drones, hitting the runway and terminal and prompting an evacuation. A Yemen Airways flight arriving from Cairo diverted to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia after the area near its runway was struck. No casualties have been reported, and the Houthis had not responded at the time of the reports.
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Yemen's government transport ministry said on 7 October that the Houthi movement attacked Aden International Airport in the early hours of the morning with two ballistic missiles and multiple drones carrying explosives, striking the runway and the terminal. The ministry said in a statement on social media that the airport evacuated personnel, and that at that point there were no reports of casualties. [ 4 , 5 ]
According to the same statement, a Yemen Airways flight arriving from Cairo diverted to the Saudi city of Jeddah after the area near its runway was struck as the aircraft came in to land. Residents of Aden said they heard several heavy explosions during the early hours. The ministry statement also noted that Aden is currently Yemen's temporary capital and that Aden International Airport is one of the few international air gateways in the country still in operation. The Houthis had not responded to the accusation at the time of the reports. [ 4 ]
Earlier on 7 October, foreign media reports carried by Chinese business outlets said two missiles fired by the Houthis had hit Aden International Airport and caused no casualties. Those accounts described missiles only, while the transport ministry's later statement described ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones. [ 1 , 3 ]
Xinhua also published a headline reporting that the Houthi attack on Aden airport forced a passenger aircraft to divert. The Chinese business outlets CLS, Jiemian and Yicai ran the story in several successive items through the day, with Yicai carrying headline-only updates. [ 2 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
Why it matters
The strike hit one of the few international airports still operating in Yemen and the gateway to Aden, the government's temporary capital, forcing an incoming flight to land in Saudi Arabia instead. The lack of an immediate Houthi claim leaves open whether the group will confirm the attack. The documents give no further basis for wider consequences.
Key facts
- Yemen's government transport ministry said the Houthi movement attacked Aden International Airport on 7 October. [ 4 , 5 ]
- The ministry said two ballistic missiles and multiple explosive-laden drones struck the airport runway and terminal. [ 4 , 5 ]
- The airport evacuated personnel following the attack, and no casualties have been reported. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- A Yemen Airways flight from Cairo diverted to the Saudi city of Jeddah when the area near its runway was hit as it came in to land. [ 4 , 5 ]
- Aden residents said they heard multiple heavy explosions in the early hours of the morning. [ 4 ]
- The Houthis had not responded to the accusation at the time of the reports. [ 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- The first reports described two missiles hitting the airport, while the transport ministry later described two ballistic missiles and multiple explosive-laden drones. The two accounts differ on the weapons used; the later ministry statement is more detailed but the documents do not reconcile them.
- Whether the Houthis will claim responsibility or respond to the accusation. Document 4 states only that the Houthis had not commented so far.
- A final casualty count. The documents report no casualties or no casualty reports at the time of publication, not a concluded figure.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The transport ministry said the Houthis attacked Aden International Airport with ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones, and a Yemen Airways flight from Cairo diverted to Jeddah. [ 4 , 5 ]
- CLS reports, citing foreign media, that two missiles hit Aden International Airport with no casualties. [ 1 ]
- Jiemian carries the same report, attributing it to Xinhua. [ 3 ]
- CLS publishes the Yemeni transport ministry's account, including the diverted flight and the evacuation. [ 4 ]
- Jiemian publishes the transport ministry's account. [ 5 ]
- Yicai publishes a headline item on Yemen saying the attack forced a passenger aircraft to divert. [ 6 ]
- Xinhua publishes its headline on the attack and the diverted flight. [ 7 ]