Houthi Missiles Strike Aden Presidential Palace, Killing Security Personnel

Houthi forces fired missiles at the al-Maashiq presidential palace complex in Aden on 15 October 2026. Yemeni Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani said five ballistic missiles struck the complex. The prime minister and other ministers who were present were unharmed. Reports on the number of dead vary between two security personnel and five people, including guards and civilian employees.

Health Minister Qasim Buhaibeh said five people were killed and 16 wounded. The casualties included members of the security detail and civilian staff. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said the group struck what it described as the Saudi enemy's military operations headquarters in Aden. The Houthi-run Saba agency claimed the site was run by Saudi officers and contained weapons depots. Reuters could not independently verify those claims.

Aden has served as the seat of Yemen's internationally recognised government since the Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014 and 2015. A Saudi-led coalition backs the government and has provided air support for recent operations against the Houthis. Prime Minister Shaya Zindani called the attack cowardly and said it continued the group's criminal behaviour. He said the government would continue operations on the south-western Red Sea coast and other front lines.

Witnesses reported loud booms near the palace. Video shared on social media showed smoke rising from the area. The attack is the first of its kind on the Aden palace complex in the current phase of fighting. Government officials said the strike involved both missiles and drones. The cabinet stated that the attack would not disrupt government duties.

The incident occurs amid wider regional conflict. Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of supplying the Houthis with missile components. The Houthis have denied some recent attacks claimed by the coalition, including an interception of a cruise missile in the Medina region. The group has also warned that Saudi airspace and airports remain unsafe for civilian flights.

Officials in Aden said the government continues to function from the palace complex. The exact extent of structural damage is not yet clear from available footage. Local reports described explosions near the security gate and on higher ground around the palace. The Saudi-backed government has described the strike as a terrorist act and has vowed that Aden will remain the operational hub for state institutions.

The Houthis control large parts of northern Yemen and have expanded their presence along the Red Sea coast in recent weeks. Pro-government forces supported by Saudi air power have launched counter-operations. The Aden strike raises the profile of attacks on the government's temporary capital. Both sides have continued to issue statements claiming military success while civilian and security casualties continue to mount.