In brief
Five Houthi‑launched ballistic missiles struck Aden’s presidential palace late Thursday, killing two security personnel and wounding several others. Information Minister Moammar al‑Eryani confirmed the attack, while the prime minister condemned the act as “cowardly.” The Saudi‑led coalition, backing Yemen’s internationally recognised government, has intensified air support against Houthi‑controlled areas. The attack follows a pattern of Houthi missile and drone strikes on Saudi targets amid growing tensions in the region.
Five ballistic missiles launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels slammed into Aden’s presidential palace late Thursday, crushing the building’s exterior and sending plumes of smoke into the evening sky. Two security personnel guarding the palace lost their lives, while several others sustained injuries, according to Information Minister Moammar al‑Eryani.
The prime minister publicly denounced the strike as “cowardly” and a continuation of criminal behaviour, pledging that the government would not waver in its efforts to push back against Houthi advances along Yemen’s south‑west coast and other front lines.
Houthi spokesman Yahya Sarea claimed the raid targeted the Saudi‑led coalition’s “military operations headquarters” in Aden, underscoring the group’s ongoing retaliation against Saudi strikes on Houthi‑held territory in western Yemen.
The incident follows a broader pattern of Houthi missile and drone attack campaigns on Saudi Arabia’s airports, oil infrastructure and military bases, which the coalition has repeatedly responded to with air strikes.
Saudi Arabia’s deputy foreign minister accused Iran of supporting the Houthis, accusing Tehran of arming and training the rebels. Iran has denied providing weapons though it has stated it will support diplomatic talks, according to statements by its foreign minister.
The war in Yemen, which broke out in 2014 when the Houthis took over the capital Sanaa, has evolved into a complex regional conflict involving a Saudi‑led coalition and Iranian‑backed insurgents. Over 1,200 civilians have been killed and millions displaced since the conflict intensified in 2015.
The latest missile strike marks a chilling reminder of the fragile ceasefire attempts and the continued humanitarian toll on the Yemeni population.
