Houthi Strike on Aden Presidential Palace Kills Five
Five people died and 16 others sustained injuries when Houthi forces struck the presidential palace complex in the southern Yemeni city of Aden, dailysabah.com reported. The missile and drone strike targeted Al-Maashiq palace, serving as the primary headquarters for Yemen’s internationally recognized, Saudi-backed government in the latest escalation of regional hostilities.
Al-Maashiq Palace Hit by Missiles and Drones
The Thursday attack marks the first time the compound has been hit in the current round of fighting. Yemeni Health Minister Qasim Buhaibeh stated that the casualties include security guards and civilian employees. Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani confirmed that the prime minister and Cabinet members escaped the compound unharmed.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for the strike. The Houthi-run SABA news agency alleged that Saudi officers operated the facility and that it housed weapons depots.
Missile Detonates Near Aircraft in Northern Yemen
The southern palace strike unfolded alongside purported aerial engagements in northern Yemen. Footage released showed a missile detonating near an aircraft. Saree asserted that the fighter jet, which reportedly departed from Taif Air Base in Saudi Arabia, suffered a direct hit and faced a risk of crashing. Infrared footage appeared to show the missile exploding close to the aircraft rather than striking it directly, while the pilot maneuvered away from the blast. A visible trail from the aircraft’s left wing raised speculation about possible damage from missile fragments. Neither the extent of any damage nor the authenticity of the footage could be independently verified. Saudi authorities offered no immediate confirmation of the incident.
Observers suggested the weapon involved was a Barq surface-to-air missile, a system linked to Houthi air defenses and Iranian missile technology. The engagement coincided with a surge in cross-border attacks. Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki reported Thursday that Houthi forces launched 20 attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh during the month, killing 17 people and injuring 333 others. Separate attacks on Abha airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia killed three people and wounded 28. Maliki accused the Houthis of acquiring advanced ballistic missiles, drones, and explosive-laden boats with assistance from regional actors. Coalition forces countered by destroying 127 weapons storage facilities and launch platforms across Yemen, while intercepting drones over Khamis Mushait and southern Saudi Arabia.
Renewed Fighting Threatens Bab El-Mandeb Shipping Lane
The renewed violence follows the collapse of a prolonged lull in a civil war that began in 2014 when the Houthis seized Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention the following year. Fighting resumed last month amid a broader regional conflict ignited by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in February. Yemeni government forces subsequently launched operations to recapture territory near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital shipping lane for international commerce. Humanitarian organizations warned that the renewed fighting threatens to worsen the existing crisis across the country.