Key Facts
- Duration
- ~4 months (March–July 2015)
- Battle start date
- 25 March 2015
- Aden retaken by pro-Hadi forces
- 22 July 2015
- Airport reopened
- 22 July 2015
Strategic Narrative Overview
Fighting began on 25 March 2015, when pro-Saleh troops seized Aden International Airport, forcing Hadi to flee by boat. Over the following months, Houthi and pro-Saleh forces pushed into the city while Southern Movement militias and Hadi-loyal army units mounted a fierce resistance. On 16 July, pro-Hadi forces recaptured the port and advanced into the commercial center, steadily reversing Houthi gains.
01 / The Origins
The Battle of Aden erupted within the broader Yemeni Civil War as Houthi rebels and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh expanded their control southward. When President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi fled Sanaa to Aden and then out of the country by sea, the city became the focal point of a struggle between the internationally recognized government and the Houthi-Saleh alliance seeking to consolidate national control.
03 / The Outcome
By 22 July 2015, pro-Hadi forces had retaken full control of Aden and the airport was reopened. In late July, a follow-on offensive expelled Houthi fighters from towns surrounding the city. The victory restored Aden as a base for the internationally recognized Yemeni government and coincided with increased Saudi-led coalition air and ground support.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
2 belligerents
Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Side B
2 belligerents
Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.