ADEN, Yemen, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- A loud explosion was heard near the international airport in Yemen's southern port city of Aden on Friday, a local security official and residents told Xinhua.
The security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said preliminary information indicated that "the explosion was caused by a suspected Houthi attack targeting a military base close to Aden International Airport."
"We are still trying to determine whether it was an explosive-laden drone or a ballistic missile," the official said, adding that security authorities were investigating the incident and assessing the targeted area.
The official stressed that the airport itself was not targeted and remained safe. "The airport is operating normally. There was no attack on the airport itself," he said.
Residents in Khormaksar district, where the airport is located, told Xinhua that they heard a powerful explosion, followed by the sound of ambulances.
There was no immediate information about casualties or the extent of damage at the suspected target. The Houthi group had not immediately commented on the incident.
Yemen has been embroiled in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized Sanaa and much of the north. A Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized Yemeni government, now based in Aden. ■
