Aden, December 30: At least 12 persons were reportedly killed and dozens left wounded in a militant strike carried out at Aden airport on Wednesday. The attack was reportedly shortly after top officials of the new Yemeni government returned from Saudi Arabia. The fatality count was feared to rise as a number of injured victims were rushed to hospital in critical condition.

Local media reports claimed that two explosions took place, along with firing of mortar shells. The initial explosion was captured live by broadcaster Al-Hadath TV. Officials of the country's topmost security agencies rushed to the airport to trace the perpetrators of the fatal assault. Yemen's Houthi Sea Mine Strikes Cargo Ship in Red Sea: Saudi TV.

Watch Terrifying Video of First Explosion at Aden Airport

Deputy Ministers of the Yemen government, while speaking to The Independent, confirmed the death of at least 12 persons. They, however, added that Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik and Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Said al-Jaber were safely escorted to their respective residential places.

No group had claimed responsibility for the attack so far, but the government was suspecting the role of Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who control vast swathes of the country's northern region.

The Houthis are at war with the Saudi-backed government in Yemen since the last six years. The military battle has witnessed massive bombardments, allegedly by the Saudi-led alliance, and the imposition of a blockade that experts attribute to the widespread poverty in the region.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 30, 2020 07:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).