Missiles hit Aden airport near Yemenia flight IY612 bound for Cairo

Two missiles struck the grounds of Aden International Airport in Yemen on Friday evening, 16 October 2026, as Yemenia Airways flight IY612 was preparing to depart for Cairo. Passengers were evacuated and no casualties were reported at the airport. Yemen’s information minister said the missiles landed approximately 500 metres from the aircraft and 100 metres from the middle of the runway. Another aircraft was approaching from Cairo at the time, amid a series of attacks on the city.

Yemenia’s departure was interrupted as the two missiles landed within the airport perimeter. Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani identified the service as flight IY612 to Cairo and said its passengers and crew were safe. The distances of 500 metres from the aircraft and 100 metres from the runway midpoint come from his 16 October statement, reported by Arab News; they are attributed figures, not independent measurements.

According to South24, citing Yemen’s Transport Ministry, a Fly Aden aircraft operating flight QFF101 was approaching from Cairo at the same time. The ministry placed one impact near the western gate towards the runway and the second to the northwest of the airport. The reports reviewed do not establish whether the arriving flight was diverted, delayed or landed normally.

Material damage has yet to be fully documented

Aden police confirmed that two missiles had landed within airport grounds and reported no deaths or injuries. Associated Press also reported the rapid evacuation of passengers. There is, however, no reliable published technical inventory in the sources reviewed of any damage to the runway, navigation equipment, airport buildings or the Yemenia aircraft. The absence of casualties must not be mistaken for confirmation that the infrastructure was undamaged.

Yemen’s internationally recognised government blamed the Houthis. The group said its intended target was a nearby military facility that it described as a command centre for Saudi-backed forces and a weapons store. Those are claims by opposing parties to the conflict, not independently established findings about the intended target.

Aden airport had already come under attack on 7 October. According to Yemen’s Foreign Ministry, as reported by South24, that earlier strike involved two ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones. One missile landed near the runway shortly before Yemenia flight 603 was due to arrive from Cairo. No casualties were reported in that incident.

On 15 October, the day before the latest airport attack, missiles and drones struck near the al-Maashiq palace compound, which houses Yemen’s internationally recognised government. The health minister reported five people killed and 16 wounded. Those casualties belong to the palace attack, not the strike on the airport on 16 October.

Uncertainty for passengers and flight operators

A usable runway alone is not enough to guarantee that flights can operate safely. Airlines and airport authorities must also assess the movement areas, emergency response capability and the risk of further strikes during boarding, departure and approach. Yemenia’s interrupted departure and the reported presence of an arriving flight show how quickly those assessments can change.

The available evidence does not establish a prolonged airport closure, a total number of cancelled services or a confirmed timetable for a full return to normal operations. Passengers should check the status of their flight and any revised arrangements directly with the operating airline or booking agent.

For people who depend on Aden for travel abroad, including journeys for medical care, the immediate unresolved question is operational: whether airport facilities remain usable and under what conditions crews can safely handle the next arrivals and departures.