“The Houthis arrive at the largest Al-Anad air base in Yemen.” What is the truth about the video?

Social media accounts circulated a video clip claiming to show scenes of the arrival of Houthi fighters in Yemen to the vital Al-Anad air base in Lahj Governorate (60 kilometers north of Aden). A post containing the video claimed that the Houthis had seized control of Al-Anad Air Base, and that they "called on citizens to secure American and Saudi food stocks from warehouses to distribute them to the poor."

The video, which has received tens of thousands of views, shows night scenes of vehicles, people and lights in an unspecified location. By splitting the video into still shots and using a reverse search, we found a version posted on Facebook on January 5, 2026.

On January 5, 2026, the “South24” news website specializing in South Yemeni affairs published the video and commented on it by saying: “A circulating video shows the continuation of the widespread looting operation carried out by gunmen in Hadhramaut, which is controlled by Saudi-backed forces.” There is no clear or reliable context for what the video shows.

Al-Anad military air base is the largest in Yemen. It is still under the control of the forces of the internationally recognized Yemeni government.

The video returned to circulation in light of reports about the Houthis escalating their military movements in the Lahj regions, amid confrontations between the group's fighters and government forces.