Houthi military forces appeared to be making gradual progress in south-western Yemen on Wednesday, advancing toward the city of Taiz while simultaneously conducting strikes against key infrastructure targets. The group fired a missile and an explosive device toward Aden airport, hitting the facility moments before a scheduled arrival from Cairo. The British ambassador to Yemen stated the strike posed significant risks to civilian populations, leading authorities to divert the incoming flight to Jeddah and prompting a reassessment of flight safety protocols at the airport, which serves as the primary international hub for the Saudi-backed government.
Independent observers indicated that Houthi forces were potentially positioned to capture Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city, as evidence suggested government-aligned forces were repositioning to defend Aden. Saudi military aircraft had been conducting strikes to disrupt Houthi troop concentrations near Taiz, particularly in western approaches to the city. The Institute for the Study of War revised its previous assessment regarding Houthi forces on coastal plains, stating that recent developments indicated the group had halted advances by government-aligned forces rather than experiencing the collapse previously assessed.
Houthi forces also claimed responsibility for missile attacks directed at two Saudi airports, including one targeting Riyadh. Saudi authorities initially stated the attacks had been intercepted but subsequently reported casualties, including three confirmed deaths and 36 wounded individuals. The competing claims drew criticism on social media regarding the accuracy of government advance announcements released earlier in the week.
Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi delivered remarks marking an anniversary, addressing regional conflicts and criticizing international media coverage of Yemen. He characterized Saudi Arabia’s role in regional conflicts, asserting its involvement extended beyond Gaza to Lebanon and positioned the kingdom alongside the United States and Israel against regional resistance movements. Meanwhile, pro-government Southern Giant forces continued operations in the Bab al-Mandab strait area, positioning units in the military airport sector of the Dhubab district as part of an offensive launched earlier this week.
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