On August 29, 2021, Houthi militants carried out a missile and drone attack on

Al Anad Air Base Al Anad Air Base is a Yemeni military air base located in Tuban district of the Lahij Governorate. It is the biggest air base in Yemen. History The base was built by the Soviet Union for South Yemen during the Cold War. The base witnessed f ...

, used by the

Southern Movement The Southern Movement (), sometimes known as the Southern Separatist Movement, or South Yemen Movement, or Aden Movement, and colloquially known as al-Hirak (), is a political movement and paramilitary organization active in the south of Yemen ...

. The attack killed over 40 Yemeni soldiers and injured over 60 more.

Background

is the largest air base in Yemen, and had been targeted several times by the Houthis since the start of the Yemeni civil war. The base is located in

Lahij Governorate Lahij ( ) is a governorate of Yemen. Geography Adjacent governorates * Taiz Governorate (northwest) * Dhale Governorate (north) * Abyan Governorate (east) * Aden Governorate (south) Districts Lahij Governorate is divided into the following 15 ...

, and has been under government and allied Southern Movement control since August 2015. In 2019, an attack by the Houthis on the airbase killed the head of the Yemeni Intelligence Agency and killed and injured several Yemeni soldiers.

Attack

At the time of the attack, Yemeni soldiers of the Third Brigade of the al-Amaliqa Brigades of the

were doing morning exercises. Houthi media stated that three missiles and drones struck the airbase, and witnesses stated that the scene was chaotic following the strike as soldiers carried their wounded comrades away in anticipation of another attack. Houthi missiles and drones also attacked other parts of the city of Anad. A spokesman for the Yemeni government said that at least thirty soldiers were killed in the attack and sixty were injured, and that the death toll was likely to rise. Houthi media stated that over 40 soldiers were killed and at least 65 were injured. Medical sources in the area said they received bodies and sixteen wounded, although they did not say whether civilians were injured or killed.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anad airbase attack, 2021 2021 in Yemen Drone strikes conducted by the Houthis 2021 airstrikes Drone strikes in Yemen Lahij Governorate in the Yemeni civil war (2014–present) August 2021 in Asia Attacks on airbases in Yemen Attacks on military installations in 2021 2021 building bombings Airport bombings in Yemen