Al Anad Air Base
{{Short description|Airbase located in Lahij Governorate, Yemen}}
{{Expand Arabic|topic=mil|قاعدة العند الجوية|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox military installation
| name = Al Anad Air Base
| ensign = Flag of the Yemeni Air Force.svg
| ensign_size = 70px
| native_name = {{lang|ar|قاعدة العند الجوية}}
| partof =
| location = Lahij Governorate
| country = Yemen
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| type = Air Base
| coordinates = {{Coord|13|10|34|N|44|45|44|E|region:YE_type:airport|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_map = Yemen
| pushpin_map_caption = Shown within Yemen
| pushpin_label = Al Anad Air Base
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| ownership = Ministry of Defense (Yemen)
| operator = Yemeni Air Force
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| code =
| used = 1976 - present
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| elevation = {{Convert|274|m|0}}
| r1-number = 07/25
| r1-length = {{Convert|2880|m|0}}
| r1-surface = Asphalt
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Al Anad Air Base is a Yemeni military air base located in Tuban district of the Lahij Governorate.{{cite news|url=http://abc7chicago.com/news/saudi-arabia-begins-airstrikes-against-houthi-rebels-in-yemen/573257/ |title=SAUDI ARABIA BEGINS AIRSTRIKES AGAINST HOUTHI REBELS IN YEMEN |agency=ABC 7 Chicago/Associated Press |date=25 March 2015 |accessdate=26 March 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150328014027/http://abc7chicago.com/news/saudi-arabia-begins-airstrikes-against-houthi-rebels-in-yemen/573257/ |archivedate=28 March 2015}} It is the biggest air base in Yemen.{{cite news|title=Yemen's civil war: Raising the stakes|url=https://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21660554-saudi-led-coalitions-commitment-ground-forces-risky-gamble-raising|accessdate=8 August 2015|newspaper=The Economist}}
History
The base was built by the Soviet Union for South Yemen during the Cold War.{{cite news |date=10 January 2019 |title=Rebel drone kills 6 loyalists at biggest Yemen airbase |work=Yahoo! News |agency=AFP |url=https://news.yahoo.com/rebel-drone-kills-6-loyalists-biggest-yemen-airbase-105834969.html |accessdate=15 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190110151132/https://news.yahoo.com/rebel-drone-kills-6-loyalists-biggest-yemen-airbase-105834969.html |archive-date=2019-01-10}}
The base witnessed fierce battles during the 1994 Yemeni Civil War as it was one of the key entry points to Aden.{{cite news |date=21 May 1994 |title=SOUTH YEMEN FORMALLY QUITS NORTH |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1994/05/21/south-yemen-formally-quits-north/07f24699-9bc9-4ff1-9803-18f966daf2e8/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240321183217/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1994/05/21/south-yemen-formally-quits-north/07f24699-9bc9-4ff1-9803-18f966daf2e8/ |archive-date=March 21, 2024 |url-status=dead|accessdate=15 August 2021}}
The base served as a headquarters for United States intelligence-gathering and counterterrorism operations in southern Yemen until the aftermath of the Houthi takeover in Yemen when the Houthis launched a military offensive against the remnants of the Western-backed administration in Aden. In March 2015, the U.S. withdrew its remaining special forces from the base{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/21/middleeast/yemen-unrest/|publisher=CNN|title=Sources: U.S. pulling last of its Special Operations forces out of Yemen|date=21 March 2015|accessdate=21 March 2015}} when Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) briefly took over the governornate. Days later, on 25 March, the installation was taken over by Houthi fighters and the 201st Armoured Brigade of the Yemen Army.{{cite news|url=http://www.yementimes.com/en/1871/news/4999/Al-Subaihi-captured-and-Lahj-falls-as-Houthis-move-on-Aden.htm|work=Yemen Times|title=AL-SUBAIHI CAPTURED AND LAHJ FALLS AS HOUTHIS MOVE ON ADEN|date=25 March 2015|accessdate=26 March 2015|archive-date=5 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005231423/http://www.yementimes.com/en/1871/news/4999/Al-Subaihi-captured-and-Lahj-falls-as-Houthis-move-on-Aden.htm|url-status=dead}} The following day, forces loyal to President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi shelled the base, causing at least some Houthis to flee.{{cite news|url=http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Yemen-presidents-forces-shell-Houthi-held-al-Anad-base-near-Aden-some-Houthis-flee-395155|work=The Jerusalem Post|title=Yemen president's forces shell Houthi-held al-Anad base near Aden, some Houthis flee|date=26 March 2015|accessdate=26 March 2015}}
Loyalist fighters backed by Saudi and UAE ground forces retook the installation on 3 August 2015, with its rebel defenders fleeing to the nearby hills.{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/yemen-al-anad-base_55c0ae19e4b06f8bedb5d59d?|title=Yemen Troops Say Ousted Houthi Rebels From Al-Anad Military Base|work=The Huffington Post|date=4 August 2015|accessdate=4 August 2015}} The recapture came two weeks after the government's victory in the Battle of Aden.
On 31 January 2016 it was reported that a Tochka tactical ballistic missile fired by Houthi rebels struck the base killing dozens of Sudanese fighters and Yemeni recruits.{{cite web|url=http://arwarights.org/foreign-mercenaries-file |title=Use of Mercenaries by the Saudi-led Coalition to Violate Human Rights in Yemen and Impede the Exercise of the Yemeni People's Right to Self-determination|work=Arabian Right Watch Association|access-date=15 June 2020}}
A Houthi drone penetrated the air base on January 10, 2019, and exploded above a podium where senior army officials were sitting. The head of the Yemen Intelligence Agency and six soldiers were killed and some senior officials were injured.{{Cite news|title=Yemen soldiers killed in Houthi drone attack on base
|date=10 January 2019 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-46822429|publisher=BBC News|access-date=2019-01-21}}
A major attack occurred on 29 August 2021, when Houthi militants attacked the base with drones and ballistic missiles, killing 30 soldiers and wounding 60 more.{{cite news|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/29/several-killed-in-houthi-attack-on-yemens-largest-base|title=Dozens killed in Houthi attack on Yemen's largest base|work=Al Jazeera|date=29 August 2021}} Later the death toll increased to more than 40 killed.{{cite web |url=https://hodhodyemennews.net/2021/08/29/at-least-40-killed-in-missile-and-drone-attack-on-pro-saudi-base/|title=At least 40 killed in drone and missiles attack at pro Saudi Base|work=Hodhod News|date=31 August 2021}}