SOCOTRA-Yemen — A report by the American website The Maritime Executive, published on January 2, 2025, has revealed the near completion of an airport on Yemen's Abd al-Kuri Island, part of the Socotra archipelago in the Arabian Sea. The report highlights the accelerated construction efforts amid the ongoing conflict in Yemen.

While the report does not specify who is behind the airport's development, it notes its strategic importance due to its proximity to the Gardafui Channel. Aircraft operating from Abd al-Kuri could potentially control shipping routes from the Gulf of Aden to the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, enabling a continuous presence or rapid response capabilities for tactical missions against maritime threats.

The airport’s significance extends to countering Houthi attacks on commercial vessels, which currently necessitate close escorts or carrier operations from airports thousands of kilometers away. According to the report, the airport could facilitate aerial operations within weeks, raising questions about its intended purpose.

Construction began in 2021 but progressed slowly for several months, with recent weeks seeing a notable acceleration in activity. As of December 23, 2024, 1,800 meters of the runway had been completed, marked with distance indicators and piano keys at the southern end, along with a paved parking area, albeit small enough only for turnarounds.

By December 28, a gap remained at the northern end of the runway, which, if filled, would allow for a total runway length of 2,400 meters. The report also mentions the establishment of new barracks with ten homes located four miles west of the airport, indicating increased activity in the area. A new dock facing south has also been constructed, offering better protection from potential Houthi drone attacks than the previously exposed northern dock.