Houthi strikes shatter Aden's calm as residents stockpile food and plan escape routes

The escalation follows a major Houthi offensive launched in early September. The Iran-backed group seized districts in Hodeidah and Taiz provinces, including the port city of Mocha, and the strategic Bab al-Mandeb strait. A government counteroffensive launched in early October has made limited gains along the Red Sea coast, while the Houthis have tightened their siege of Taiz after capturing a vital road linking it to Aden.

Mohammed Abdul Malik, a resident of Aden, has begun stockpiling basic provisions and preparing his car for a long journey. “We’ve mapped out an exit route from the city. I’ve prepared my car, checked it over, and set aside an emergency supply of fuel. I’m ready to pack up my family and head out at a moment’s notice,” he told Al Jazeera. His fallback plan is to flee with his family to Shabwa or Hadramout if the security situation deteriorates further and state institutions collapse. News from friends in Taiz, where fighting and the siege have driven up prices and disrupted supplies, has deepened his concerns about what could happen to Aden.

Aden's international airport has borne the brunt of the attacks, with airlines forced to cancel, delay or divert flights. Ahmed Awadh, who lives in the Khor Maksar district near the airport, said the strikes have left children terrified. “An explosion jolts the children awake in terror, leaving them unable to sleep for the rest of the night. Even the sound of an ordinary airplane now strikes fear into my family,” Awadh said. He and his neighbours have formed a WhatsApp group to check on each other after each explosion. Some families have sent vulnerable relatives, including children and elderly people, to neighbouring Lahj and Abyan provinces or other districts of Aden. Others have rented homes further from the airport.

Professor of journalism Adeeb al-Shatri of Aden and Hadramout universities questioned why the internationally recognised government had left its temporary capital vulnerable without adequate air defences to intercept missiles and drones. “Aden is currently the capital, housing both major and minor state institutions. Therefore, the legitimate government must protect it,” he argued. Al-Shatri further noted that only a small proportion of Aden's wealthier residents could afford to stockpile supplies, with most people already struggling to make ends meet. “In Europe and other stable Arab countries, people stockpile food during crises, but in Aden, people need three times their current salaries just to live a simple life,” he said. He added that movement in the city returned to normal an hour after an explosion because people had to keep moving to earn money.