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| Houthi Fighters in Yemen Attack Air Base Used by U.S. Forces | Houthi Fighters in Yemen Attack Air Base Used by U.S. Forces |
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| CAIRO — A Yemeni air base used by American forces for counterterrorism operations came under attack by army units and fighters allied with the Houthi movement on Wednesday as they clashed with forces loyal to President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi near his current refuge in the southern city of Aden. | CAIRO — A Yemeni air base used by American forces for counterterrorism operations came under attack by army units and fighters allied with the Houthi movement on Wednesday as they clashed with forces loyal to President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi near his current refuge in the southern city of Aden. |
| A satellite television network linked to the Houthi movement announced in the morning that its fighters had seized the base, Al Anad, north of Aden, and found it empty and looted. The Houthis said they had also captured two senior officials loyal to Mr. Hadi, including the defense minister. But those reports could not be confirmed. | A satellite television network linked to the Houthi movement announced in the morning that its fighters had seized the base, Al Anad, north of Aden, and found it empty and looted. The Houthis said they had also captured two senior officials loyal to Mr. Hadi, including the defense minister. But those reports could not be confirmed. |
| Warplanes struck a location in Aden near Mr. Hadi’s compound around midday, and antiaircraft guns returned fire. Several news reports said that Mr. Hadi had left his home in Aden, possibly for fear of such an attack. There were conflicting reports early Wednesday about whether he had left the country as well, although few believe his departure would end the factional fighting. | Warplanes struck a location in Aden near Mr. Hadi’s compound around midday, and antiaircraft guns returned fire. Several news reports said that Mr. Hadi had left his home in Aden, possibly for fear of such an attack. There were conflicting reports early Wednesday about whether he had left the country as well, although few believe his departure would end the factional fighting. |
| The antiaircraft fire from the ground indicated that Mr. Hadi’s forces had not abandoned Aden. A television network controlled by the Houthis announced a $100,000 bounty for Mr. Hadi’s capture. | The antiaircraft fire from the ground indicated that Mr. Hadi’s forces had not abandoned Aden. A television network controlled by the Houthis announced a $100,000 bounty for Mr. Hadi’s capture. |
| The United States evacuated its military personnel from Al Anad several days ago, with fighters from Al Qaeda’s Yemeni affiliate moving closer from one side and Houthi fighters pushing closer from the other. | The United States evacuated its military personnel from Al Anad several days ago, with fighters from Al Qaeda’s Yemeni affiliate moving closer from one side and Houthi fighters pushing closer from the other. |
| Yemen is sliding toward a civil war with ominous elements of a sectarian feud, a regional proxy conflict, the attempted return of an ousted authoritarian, and the expansion of anti-Western extremist groups like Al Qaeda and the Islamic State eager to capitalize on the chaos. | Yemen is sliding toward a civil war with ominous elements of a sectarian feud, a regional proxy conflict, the attempted return of an ousted authoritarian, and the expansion of anti-Western extremist groups like Al Qaeda and the Islamic State eager to capitalize on the chaos. |
| The Houthis, a religious group from northern Yemen, practice a variant of Shiite Islam and receive support from Iran. | |
| But they are also collaborating with Yemeni security forces still loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, the longtime strongman who was pushed from power amid the Arab Spring uprising but now appears to be staging a comeback in alliance with the Houthis. With Mr. Saleh’s help, the Houthis now control most of the Yemeni military, including its air force. | |
| Mr. Hadi was installed as a replacement for Mr. Saleh in a transition brokered by Persian Gulf monarchies, and he has the backing of both Saudi Arabia and Washington. But he fled to Aden from the capital, Sana, after the Houthis captured it months ago, and the Houthis appear to be advancing toward a battle for Aden as well. He retains the support and protection of a small number of military units based in the predominantly Sunni Muslim south. | Mr. Hadi was installed as a replacement for Mr. Saleh in a transition brokered by Persian Gulf monarchies, and he has the backing of both Saudi Arabia and Washington. But he fled to Aden from the capital, Sana, after the Houthis captured it months ago, and the Houthis appear to be advancing toward a battle for Aden as well. He retains the support and protection of a small number of military units based in the predominantly Sunni Muslim south. |
| As Mr. Hadi’s opponents close in, his supporters have escalated calls for intervention by Saudi Arabia and the other Persian Gulf states to hold back the Houthis. Saudi Arabia, for its part, has recently begun mobilizing its military forces near the Yemeni border, although possibly for purely defensive reasons, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing American officials. | As Mr. Hadi’s opponents close in, his supporters have escalated calls for intervention by Saudi Arabia and the other Persian Gulf states to hold back the Houthis. Saudi Arabia, for its part, has recently begun mobilizing its military forces near the Yemeni border, although possibly for purely defensive reasons, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing American officials. |
| At a news conference this week, Prince Saud al-Faisal, the Saudi foreign minister, hinted at a possible intervention, saying Saudi Arabia “will take the necessary measures for this crisis to protect the region.” | At a news conference this week, Prince Saud al-Faisal, the Saudi foreign minister, hinted at a possible intervention, saying Saudi Arabia “will take the necessary measures for this crisis to protect the region.” |
| Against that backdrop, Sunni Muslim extremists pledging allegiance to both Al Qaeda and the Islamic State have been escalating their attacks, including sectarian assaults on the Houthis. The Islamic State, also known as ISIS and ISIL, has claimed responsibility for two bombings of Shiite mosques in Sana on Friday that killed more than 135 people. | Against that backdrop, Sunni Muslim extremists pledging allegiance to both Al Qaeda and the Islamic State have been escalating their attacks, including sectarian assaults on the Houthis. The Islamic State, also known as ISIS and ISIL, has claimed responsibility for two bombings of Shiite mosques in Sana on Friday that killed more than 135 people. |
| Houthi leaders have said their drive to the south is a battle to root out the Islamic State and Al Qaeda, portraying both groups as instruments of a broad international conspiracy including Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United States. | Houthi leaders have said their drive to the south is a battle to root out the Islamic State and Al Qaeda, portraying both groups as instruments of a broad international conspiracy including Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United States. |