Yemen’s armed forces have issued an urgent evacuation warning for Aden Airport, claiming a Saudi aircraft is transporting weapons into the facility, according to statements broadcast by regional media on Wednesday.
Yahya Saree, spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces aligned with the Houthi movement, announced the warning and accused Saudi Arabia of delivering armaments he described as intended for use against Yemeni civilians.
The warning coincides with intensifying military exchanges between Saudi Arabia and Houthi forces. Early Wednesday morning, the Saudi-led coalition announced it had successfully intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched toward Taif, a city in western Saudi Arabia. Emergency alerts were simultaneously issued in the Red Sea cities of Jeddah and Yanbu, though authorities later declared those areas safe without specifying the nature of the threat.
Tuesday night saw similar defensive action when Saudi air defences intercepted two ballistic missiles targeting Riyadh. Falling debris from those interceptions damaged a building, a construction site, and at least one vehicle in the capital, according to Saudi Civil Defence officials.
The Houthis have claimed responsibility for multiple strikes on Saudi territory using both ballistic missiles and drones. Their stated targets include the Saudi Defence Ministry and Abha International Airport, marking a significant escalation in attacks on civilian infrastructure.
China has publicly expressed concern over the deteriorating situation, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun calling for an end to attacks on civilian facilities, particularly airports. Beijing urged all parties to pursue dialogue and negotiation rather than military confrontation.
In response to the escalating crisis, regional diplomacy has accelerated. Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held separate phone consultations with his Saudi and Emirati counterparts on Tuesday, discussing urgent de-escalation measures.
Significantly, the talks emphasized coordination through a four-nation ministerial mechanism that includes Pakistan alongside Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. This diplomatic framework aims to strengthen consultation and support political solutions to regional conflicts.
Egypt’s parliament approved a mandate on Monday authorizing President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to take necessary measures to support Saudi Arabia and defend its territory and holy sites, signaling Cairo’s readiness for deeper involvement.
The Saudi-led coalition has been conducting military operations in Yemen since March 2015, supporting the internationally recognized government against Houthi forces who seized control of the capital Sanaa and several provinces in September 2014.
The current escalation represents one of the most intense periods of conflict since the war began, with civilian infrastructure increasingly targeted and regional powers mobilizing diplomatic and potentially military resources to contain the crisis.
