Missile and drone strikes occurred again yesterday, Wednesday, in Aden, a city and major port in the south, where the internationally recognized Government of Yemen has relocated its headquarters. Among other targets was a camp belonging to the international coalition led by Saudi Arabia, which supports government forces, according to two Agence France-Presse sources within the police.
It is unclear who carried out the attacks. The Yemeni rebel movement Ansar Allah—also known by the name of its leaders’ family, the Houthis— which is aligned with Iran, has frequently targeted government positions since the war reignited this summer, following several years of relative calm. The poorest country on the Arabian Peninsula has become a new front in the broader conflict in the Middle East.
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The strikes followed deadly bombings, which claimed many civilian casualties, in areas controlled by Ansar Allah.
Two missiles targeted a camp belonging to the Riyadh-led coalition west of Aden yesterday, according to one of the police sources.
Another camp, in the city center, was targeted by a drone, which was, however, intercepted, according to the sources.
Aden, the largest city in southern Yemen, has been subjected to repeated attacks by Ansar Allah rebels since October. The presidential palace, in particular, has been a target.
The group had seized control of Sana’a in late 2014, forcing the government to flee and retreat to Aden, while it continued its advance southward. The Saudi-led coalition intervened in the war in March 2015, siding with government forces.
However, the rebels continue to control vast swaths of Yemen, including nearly the entire northern part of the country.
Following a UN-brokered ceasefire in 2022, which continued informally, hostilities resumed in July.
At the same time, Ansar Allah has stepped up its attacks against Saudi Arabia, targeting, in particular, airports, oil facilities, and military installations.
Yesterday, the coalition led by the Kingdom announced that three cruise missiles launched by the movement against the Saudi capital, Riyadh, had been intercepted.
Meanwhile, in Sana’a, hundreds of people attended the funerals yesterday of victims of the bombings attributed to Saudi Arabia that took place on Saturday against a village east of the capital. According to Ansar Allah, at least 44 people were killed, including more than 20 children.
The crowd prayed for the victims at a mosque. Chants such as “Death to America! Death to Israel!” were heard.
Men and boys, dressed in white and dark clothing, stood near the bodies. Some were carrying weapons and had the traditional Yemeni dagger, the jambiya, strapped to their belts. In front of the victims, wrapped in white shrouds, were portraits and their names, including those of the children.
The bodies were then transported for burial in the village of As-Sariya, where, according to Ansar Allah, Saudi Arabia bombed homes on Saturday.
The Al-Masirah television network reported a Saudi airstrike targeting rescue workers who had rushed to the village. Agence France-Presse notes that it was unable to independently verify this information.
Since the war in Yemen resumed, at least 1,600 people have been killed and more than 300,000 have been forced to flee their homes, according to UN figures.
In September, Ansar Allah launched a lightning offensive in the western part of the country, consolidating its control over the region and, most importantly, over the strategically vital Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the maritime route connecting Europe to Asia via the Suez Canal and the Red Sea.
The movement also announced that it is moving forward with imposing a blockade in the Red Sea on the commercial fleet and ports of Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest exporter of crude oil.
Source: KYPE
