Saudi Airstrikes Kill 14 in Houthi-Held Areas of Yemen

Riyadh/London/Washington: Amid ongoing tensions in Yemen, reports have emerged of missile attacks on Aden International Airport and airstrikes in the city of Al-Hazm in Al-Jawf province. Yemeni government officials have confirmed two missile attacks on Aden International Airport, blaming the Houthis, while the Houthis say at least 14 people were killed in Saudi airstrikes.
According to the Houthis, Saudi-led airstrikes hit a crowded central market near a petrol station in Al-Hazm, the capital of Al-Jawf province, in northern Yemen on Wednesday, killing at least 14 people, including three children and two women, and wounding 15 others. Anees al-Asbahi, spokesperson for the Houthi-run Health Ministry, gave these figures as a preliminary toll.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Ministry of Transport said the Houthis fired two ballistic missiles at Aden airport, leaving craters on the runway. The ministry described the attacks as a direct threat to the lives of passengers, aviation crews and workers.
Majed Abdullah Al-Nazili, spokesman for Yemeni government forces, said several civilians were injured and material damage was caused after two ballistic missiles landed near Aden airport. Blaming the Houthis, he described it as the sixth attack on the airport. According to AFP, sources in Aden police said the two missiles fired by the Houthis landed within the airport premises.
Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree had earlier urged civilians to evacuate the airport, claiming that a Saudi military cargo plane carrying weapons was present there, though no evidence was provided to support the claim. After the Houthi warning, Aden airport was deserted, while flights from Cairo and Mumbai were diverted to Seiyun Airport in Yemen’s Hadramawt province.
The US State Department has ordered non-emergency US government employees and their eligible family members in Saudi Arabia to leave the country due to security concerns. According to the State Department, Iranian-backed Houthi forces have targeted civilian airports and key infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, resulting in civilian casualties and disruption to air travel.
It has been warned that the situation could escalate further. In a statement on X, the US Embassy said that following recent missile and drone attacks, US government employees stationed in Saudi Arabia would require special authorisation from the Chief of Mission before using any airport in the kingdom. US officials have warned their citizens to remain aware of potential attacks on airports, airspace closures, flight cancellations and travel disruptions.
The UK Foreign Office has issued new travel advisories for the Middle East, including Turkey and Egypt. In its latest guidance, warning of regional tensions, it said the situation in the Middle East remains highly unpredictable and there is a high risk of a sudden escalation in tensions. Iran has expressed its intention to target locations associated with the US and Israel, including organisations, businesses, facilities and institutions, though the list is not limited to these.
The UK Foreign Office said British nationals in, or planning to travel through, the Middle East should be prepared for possible flight cancellations and travel disruptions.