Two missiles were fired into the airport Friday night, killing two people in Yemen’s southern port Aden, a security official and an airport traffic controller told reporters. An area at the airport which is the home of a military unit that supports Yemen’s Saudi-backed government is reportedly the target of the attack.
Both sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the incident. As of the initial reports, there was no immediate information about casualties or the extent of the damage.
As of the time of reporting, no group took responsibility for the attack.
The attack followed a similar one by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis on a palace complex in the capital Aden the previous day. The city is the home of the nation’s internationally recognised government since a conflict forced the government to move from its capital city of Sanaa in 2015.
The city of Aden is important politically and administratively as a hub for the international powers and hosts to land traffic along the Gulf of Aden. The airport also serves as an important transport hub for the city and surrounding areas.
The latest strike comes as security concerns in southern Yemen, with the government recognised by the international community pitted against the Houthis rebels, remain unresolved in the country’s ongoing conflict. The Houthis have ruled the northern cities of Sanaa and other northern provinces while the government is based in the southern region.
But the culpability for the attack on the airport on Friday night had not been determined yet, and there was no immediate evidence that Friday was connected to the palace complex attack that was reported the day before.
Authorities have not yet provided details on the projectiles or any damage nor any official statement to implement security response. It was unclear as officials evaluated the incident.