An electrically operated aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol-generating article (200a) and an electrically operated aerosol-generating device (300). The aerosol- generating article (100) comprises an aerosol-forming substrate (216a) and has a mouth end (260a) and a distal end (250a) upstream from the mouth end (260a).The electrically operated aerosol-generating device (300) comprises a housing (310) having a cavity (320) configured to receive the distal end (250a) of the aerosol-generating article (200a).The aerosol- generating system further comprises an electric heating element (330) and a heat diffuser (100) comprising a non-combustible porous body (110) for absorbing heat from the electric heating element (330) such that, in use, air drawn through the aerosol-generating article (200a) from the distal end (250a) to the mouth end (260a) is heated by the heat absorbed in the porous body (110).
