The car bombing and subsequent rocket attack also left six injured at the Al-Sulban base, a military official added. Both spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns.

The airport was shut following the incident.

Conflict broke out in Yemen in late 2014 when Shia Muslim Houthi militias and their allies overran the capital Sanaa and other parts of the country, forcing President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi and his Saudi-backed government to flee to Riyadh.

In March last year, Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies launched a massive military campaign aimed at reversing Houthi gains and restoring Hadi’s government.

In April, the Yemeni government and the Houthis entered into UN-sponsored peace talks. The violence has seen more than 6,400 people killed and 2.5 million forced to flee their homes.