Blast heard in Yemen’s Aden as Houthis claim attack on military camp

A powerful explosion was heard in Aden in southern Yemen, an Al Jazeera journalist and police have said, as the Houthis claimed a ballistic missile attack on a military camp in the city.

A police official said on Wednesday that smoke was rising near the international airport in Aden, the seat of power of Yemen’s internationally recognised government.

Yahya Saree, spokesman of the Houthi armed group, also known as Ansar Allah, meaning Supporters of God in Arabic, said in a statement the attack targeted a military camp used by the Saudi-led coalition, which has been battling the Houthis since a 2022 ceasefire in Yemen’s war collapsed earlier this year.

“Our armed forces were able to target the Saudi enemy’s operations room in the Badr camp in Aden with a ballistic missile,” Saree said in a statement, adding that “the strike was precise and direct”.

There was no immediate comment on the claim from the Yemeni government or the Saudi-led coalition.

The attack was the third on Aden in a week. On Friday, two missiles landed within the perimeter of the city’s airport, with the Houthis claiming the attack.

A day earlier, the group launched a deadly missile attack on the presidential palace in Aden, hitting command centres located inside the compound, which is used by government forces and the Saudi-led coalition.

Elsewhere in Yemen, the Saudi-led coalition said its forces were engaged in heavy fighting with the Houthis in Kahboub in the southwest.

A coalition spokesperson said they were trying to repel a large-scale attack and were experiencing intense Houthi bombardment, describing the situation as “very dangerous”.

Clashes are ongoing under “intensive air cover” by coalition and Yemeni forces, the spokesperson said.

In a separate statement, the Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted five drones launched towards the kingdom, including in the Medina region, home to one of Islam’s holiest cities.

“Four drones launched towards the kingdom have been intercepted and destroyed,” coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki posted on X, adding in a second post that the interceptions took place in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern province as well as Medina.

Al-Malki, who did not specify who was behind the launches, later said another drone had been intercepted in the Eastern province.

The Houthis denied having targeted the kingdom, with Saree saying their forces had not carried out any “deep” operations in Saudi territory.

Fighting in Yemen escalated sharply last month when the Houthis seized strategic territory along the Red Sea coast.