Multiple people were killed and many more injured during a devastating blast at an airport in Yemen on Wednesday.
At least 25 were killed and 110 wounded shortly after a plane arrived carrying the newly formed, Saudi-backed Yemeni government, according to the Associated Press. Yemen’s government claimed four ballistic missiles were shot at Aden airport by Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
Rebels have not responded to the outlet’s request for comment.
Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed claimed and the Associated Press reported that members of the government were left unscathed, but Aden al-Ghad, a local news outlet, has, according to NPR, reported that at least one junior official was killed in the explosion and several other officials were wounded. NPR added no one has claimed responsibility for the blast.
“Of course, when we heard the first explosion, we tried to understand what was happening, we were confused about whether it was an explosive or a drone or a rocket,” said a journalist and researcher for the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies. He believes that the explosion was likely the result of a missile attack. “Most of us were terrified and confused because we didn’t know what was happening or where the threat was coming from. So people were running and attempting to escape the danger.”
The International Committee of the Red Cross said three of its staff members were among the dead.
The new government is the result of an agreement made between Saudi-backed forces and southern separatists who wanted to be united in their fight against the Houthi rebels, who control much of northern Yemen.
Saeed said in a televised statement, “The hand of terror will not stop us from performing our tasks.”
