Saudi Arabia launches air raids in Sanaa after deadly Aden blasts

The Saudi-UAE coalition fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen has reportedly carried out air raids in parts of the capital, Sanaa, hours after explosions struck the main airport in the southern city of Aden killing at least 26 people.

Saudi-owned al Arabiya TV showed video of rockets landing near the terminal as newly appointed government ministers were disembarking. Most of the casualties were reportedly inside the terminal.

Amateur video showed a crater alongside the terminal, where one of the rockets hit. Many windows and metal frames appeared to have been blown out. A van parked outside also appeared to have broken windows.

Information Minister Muammar al Eryani accused the Iranian-backed Houthi militia group, which controls the capital Sanaa, of launching the attack. The Houthis have denied responsibility.

António Guterres, the UN chief, condemned the “deplorable” deadly attack on Aden airport, which came moments after a plane carrying members of a newly formed Saudi-backed unity cabinet landed.

Hours after the attack, a second explosion was heard around Aden’s Maasheq presidential palace where the cabinet members including Yemen’s Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik, as well as the Saudi ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed Said al-Jaber, had been taken to safety, residents and local media said.

Two International Committee of the Red Cross staff members were also killed in the attack and one was missing, ICRC said in a statement.

Prime Minister Abdulmalik said all members of the cabinet were “fine”. He dubbed the attacks as “treacherous” and “cowardly”.

No group claimed responsibility for the deadly attack.

The Houthis, who are aligned with Iran, denied they were behind the attack.

The Saudi-led coalition later said it had downed an explosive-laden Houthi drone that was targeting the presidential palace.