ADEN, Yemen, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's government said Wednesday that Houthi forces launched ballistic missiles and drones at Aden International Airport before dawn, forcing an incoming passenger flight to divert and triggering an emergency evacuation of the airport.
The transport ministry said in a statement posted on social media platform X that two ballistic missiles and several explosive-laden drones targeted the runway and passenger terminal, with one missile striking near the runway only minutes before Yemenia Airways flight 603 from Cairo was due to land.
No casualties were immediately reported.
Authorities diverted the Cairo flight to the Saudi city of Jeddah and evacuated passengers and employees from the terminal as drones were detected over the southern port city, which serves as the government's temporary capital, the ministry said, adding that two civilian aircraft on the ground were moved away from the threatened area as a precaution.
Residents in Aden told Xinhua they heard several loud explosions early Wednesday. The airport is one of Yemen's few functioning international gateways and a critical air link for Yemenis traveling abroad for medical treatment, work and family visits amid years of conflict that have severely disrupted the country's transport infrastructure.
Denouncing the strike as a "dangerous escalation" that put passengers, airport staff and flight crews at direct risk, the ministry urged the International Civil Aviation Organization and other international bodies to take a clear position against attacks threatening civilian aviation.
There was no immediate comment from the Houthis on the government's accusation, and the extent of the damage could not be independently verified.
The strike came amid a sharp escalation in clashes between the Houthis and Saudi-backed government forces, particularly in areas near the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait in southwestern Yemen, accompanied by intensified exchanges across Yemen and the Saudi-Yemeni border.
The Houthis seized Sanaa, the capital, and much of northern Yemen in late 2014, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention in support of the internationally-recognized Yemeni government in 2015. ■
