Houthi Missile Attack Kills Five Near Yemen’s Aden as Fighting Intensifies
Attack in Lahj province comes amid renewed Houthi advances toward Aden and escalating strikes on Saudi Arabia, raising fears of a wider regional confrontation
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Five people were killed and eight others wounded in a Houthi missile attack on a checkpoint in southern Yemen on Sunday, as fighting between the Iran-backed group and Yemen’s internationally recognized government intensifies and Saudi Arabia faces a renewed wave of missile and drone attacks.
The attack took place in Khor Omeira, in Lahj province, near Aden, the interim capital of the internationally recognized government, four sources told AFP. Three military sources and a government source confirmed the casualties, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The latest attack comes as government forces strengthen their defensive positions around Aden amid growing concerns over Houthi advances in neighbouring areas.
Government forces had begun reinforcing positions on the outskirts of Aden province, which borders Lahj, according to three military officials who spoke to AFP on Friday.
The officials said the Houthis had advanced toward Aden and captured elevated positions overlooking the province, raising concerns about a possible expansion of fighting toward the strategic southern city.
The renewed fighting marks a further deterioration in Yemen's security situation following the collapse of a four-year truce earlier this year. The conflict has increasingly spread across several front lines, with Lahj, Taiz, Marib and other provinces witnessing intensified military operations.
Saudi Arabia reports intercepting missiles and drones
The escalation has also increasingly affected neighbouring Saudi Arabia, which leads a military coalition supporting Yemen's internationally recognized government against the Houthis.
On Sunday, coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said Saudi air defences intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched toward Riyadh. He also reported the interception of two drones in the kingdom's Eastern Province.
The latest interceptions follow weeks of Houthi attacks targeting Saudi military installations, airports, energy facilities and transport infrastructure, including the Saudi capital's financial district.
Last Sunday, a Houthi strike damaged a skyscraper owned by Saudi state oil giant Aramco in Riyadh's financial district. Saudi authorities say 26 people have been killed in attacks on the kingdom since September, including 23 in strikes targeting airports.
The Saudi-led coalition has intensified its military operations against Houthi positions in Yemen in response to the cross-border attacks, further widening the confrontation.
Meanwhile, the Houthis have frequently reported Saudi airstrikes in areas under their control, highlighting the continued cycle of retaliatory attacks.
The renewed hostilities threaten to deepen Yemen's already severe humanitarian crisis, with hundreds of thousands displaced and civilian infrastructure increasingly exposed to the fighting.