Houthi forces appeared to be making slow gains on Wednesday in south-west Yemen, moving toward Taiz, the country's third city, and firing a missile and an explosive at the airport in Aden, the main hub of the Saudi-backed government. The explosive struck the airport moments before a flight from Cairo was due to land, forcing it to divert to Jeddah; the Houthis also claimed missile strikes on two Saudi airports, with Saudi authorities reporting three dead and 36 wounded. The developments suggest a government offensive launched on Monday, which aimed first at retaking the Bab al-Mandab strait at the southern mouth of the Red Sea, may have stalled, raising the risk of Taiz falling and further regional escalation.