At least 151 passengers aboard a Yemenia Airways flight bound for Cairo had a narrow escape on Friday after two missiles launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels struck the premises of Aden International Airport, according to Yemen's internationally recognised government.
The incident has raised fears of a major humanitarian disaster. According to a statement from Yemen's information ministry, the flight was preparing for takeoff when the airport was targeted. The missiles reportedly landed approximately 500 metres from the aircraft and about 100 metres from the center of the runway.
"What occurred was not merely an assault on a civilian airport, but a direct threat to the lives of passengers and flight crews, to aviation safety, and a grave violation of international laws and norms," the information ministry said in a statement.
Aden serves as the interim capital for the Yemeni government, which has been locked in a years-long war with the Iran-backed Houthi movement. The Houthis control the official capital, Sanaa, and much of northern Yemen.
The attack highlights the persistent danger the ongoing conflict poses to civilians and critical infrastructure. Houthi forces have previously launched missile and drone attacks targeting civilian airports and other sites within Yemen and in neighboring countries like Saudi Arabia.
The close call involving a commercial airliner underscores the volatility of the situation in Yemen, a country already suffering from what the United Nations has described as the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The international community has repeatedly condemned attacks on civilian targets and called for a political resolution to the devastating war.
Source: News agencies
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