Blast heard in Yemen's Aden as Houthis claim missile strike on military camp

A powerful explosion was reported in the southern Yemeni city of Aden on Wednesday, with smoke seen rising near the airport. The city is controlled by Yemen's internationally recognised government. The blast came as the Houthis said they had carried out a ballistic missile attack on a military target in the city.

A police official said smoke was rising near Aden airport after the explosion. An Al Jazeera journalist also reported hearing the blast in the city. Reporting from Yemen's Taiz, Maha Ali said the Houthi group targeted Aden airport with a ballistic missile.

Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree separately said the group had struck the Saudi-led coalition's military operation room at Badr Camp in Aden. Saree said the strike was "precise and direct". No casualty figures were given in the supplied reports, and there was no immediate confirmation of damage from independent officials in the material provided.

The reports did not say whether the airport itself was hit or whether operations were affected. The immediate focus remained on the area around the airport and the military camp. The incident is the latest in a long-running conflict in Yemen in which the Houthis have repeatedly launched cross-frontline attacks.

Aden remains a key city because it hosts the internationally recognised government and important military and transport infrastructure. Any strike near the airport or a coalition operation room carries potential implications for security, movement and command coordination in the south. Badr Camp has been identified in the reports as the site of the coalition's military operation room, underlining its role in the wider conflict.

The Houthis have used ballistic missiles in previous attacks during the war, and such claims are often part of the group's effort to signal reach against government and coalition positions. The supplied material did not include a response from the government or coalition forces. What remains unclear is the extent of any damage, whether there were casualties, and whether the airport was directly hit.

It is also not clear from the supplied reports how the strike was carried out or whether air traffic or military activity in Aden was disrupted. Further official statements would be needed to confirm the target and assess the impact of the blast.

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