Houthi missiles hit Aden as residents prepare for possible return to war

Houthi missiles have struck the southern Yemeni city of Aden, and residents say they fear a return to all-out war, Al Jazeera reported. The Houthis have claimed attacks on several locations in the city, including the international airport, military camps, the port and the presidential palace.

Arab News reported that Yemen's armed forces said on Friday the Houthis had targeted Aden airport and Maashiq Palace with ballistic missiles. A military spokesperson accused the group of continuing to target national infrastructure and resources. He said the attacks on airports exposed what he described as a contradiction between the Houthis' claims to seek an end to the blockade and their actions against the Yemeni population.

According to Al Jazeera, Houthi missile and drone attacks this month have repeatedly disrupted air travel at Aden international airport, forcing airlines to cancel, delay or divert flights. Aden had been relatively peaceful and had become a refuge for thousands of people displaced by the conflict, until this month's attacks.

Residents are preparing. Mohammed Abdul Malik has stockpiled food and made his car ready for a long journey. His plan is to take his family to Shabwa or Hadramout if security collapses. He said: "Prices in Taiz have already doubled, and the same could easily happen in Aden. If the [Aden] port were to be struck, prices would skyrocket."

Ahmed Awadh, who lives in the Khor Maksar district near the airport, said some families have sent vulnerable relatives to Lahj and Abyan provinces or to other districts of Aden. He said: "The [Aden] airport, which serves the civilian population, as well as other civilian infrastructure and residential areas, must not be targeted."

The attacks follow a reignition of Yemen's war in recent months after four years of relative calm. In early September the Houthis launched a major offensive to seize government-held areas in western Yemen from the NRF. Within a week they took districts in Hodeidah and Taiz provinces, including the port city of Mocha and the Bab al-Mandeb strait.

A government counteroffensive launched in early October made limited gains along the Red Sea coast. The Houthis tightened their siege of Taiz after capturing a vital road linking it to Aden.

Adeeb al-Shatri, a journalism professor at Aden and Hadramout universities, questioned why the government left Aden without adequate air defences. He said: "Aden is currently the capital, housing both major and minor state institutions. Therefore, the legitimate government must protect it."