World
Yemen’s Aden Residents Stockpile Supplies Amid Houthi Missile Attacks
Residents of Aden are stockpiling food and preparing escape plans as Houthi missiles repeatedly strike the city. Mohammed Abdul Malik, a local, said the explosions are a warning of a possible return to widespread violence. He has begun buying basic provisions such as sugar and has prepared his car for a long journey if he needs to leave. If the security situation deteriorates further, his plan is to flee with his family to Shabwa or Hadramout.
The war in Yemen has intensified since early September, when the Houthis launched a major offensive to seize government-held areas in the west. Within a week they captured districts in Hodeidah and Taiz, including the port city of Mocha and the Bab al-Mandeb strait. A government counteroffensive in early October made limited gains along the Red Sea coast, but the Houthis tightened their siege of Taiz after capturing a vital road linking it to Aden.
Aden had remained relatively peaceful and served as a refuge for thousands of displaced people. The recent wave of Houthi missile and drone attacks has disrupted daily life and raised fears that the Houthis may be targeting the city. Abdul Malik noted that prices in Taiz have already doubled and could rise in Aden if the port were struck. He and his colleagues discuss what to buy, what to store, and where to go if they must leave.
The Aden International Airport, Yemen’s busiest airport, has been hit repeatedly, causing airlines to cancel or delay flights and divert others. Residents near the airport report psychological distress, with children experiencing fear and anxiety after explosions. Ahmed Awadh, who lives in the Khor Maksar district, said the attacks have disrupted schools and businesses, prompting families to keep children away from school and move to safer areas. He and neighbours have created a WhatsApp group to check on one another after each explosion.
Aden, Yemen’s second‑most important city, suffered extensive destruction in early 2015 during fighting between the Houthis and their opponents and air strikes by the Saudi‑led coalition. Even after the Houthis were driven out, sporadic clashes between rival anti‑Houthi factions continued. Adeeb al‑Shatri, a professor of journalism at Aden and Hadramout universities, said the latest wave of attacks has compounded the suffering of a city already plagued by lawlessness and insecurity. He questioned why the internationally recognised government had left Aden vulnerable to Houthi attacks without adequate air defences.
The Yemeni military claims to have air defence forces in Aden, with reports of drone interceptions before they reached civilian areas. Yemen’s Information Minister, Moammar al‑Eryani, did not respond to a request for comment on criticism that air defence systems have been inadequate. Al‑Shatri argued that only a small proportion of Aden’s wealthier residents can afford to stockpile food and other supplies, while most residents are already struggling to feed their families. He also challenged the notion that Houthi attacks have brought businesses and education to a complete standstill, noting that people’s movement in the city returned to normal an hour after an explosion because they need to keep moving to earn money and secure their daily bread.