Houthis Strike Yemeni Presidential Palace in Aden, Killing Five

Houthi forces struck the Maashiq Presidential Palace in Aden on Thursday with missiles and drones, killing five people and injuring at least 16, according to Yemen’s Health Ministry. The palace serves as the headquarters of the country’s internationally recognised government. Prime Minister Shayea al-Zandani was unhurt, though two members of his security detail were among the dead.

Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani said the Houthis fired five missiles at the complex. The cabinet later stated that the attack involved both missiles and drones. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the target was a Saudi military operations headquarters inside the palace compound. Videos circulated showing smoke rising from the area. The strike is the first of its kind on the palace since fighting between the Houthis and the government resumed in July after the collapse of a years-long truce.

Aden has been the seat of the internationally recognised government since 2015, when the Houthis seized Sanaa. The Saudi-led coalition that supports the government has accused Iran of supplying the Houthis with missile components. The same day, the coalition reported intercepting a cruise missile over the Medina region in Saudi Arabia. Yemen’s cabinet said the Aden attack would not interrupt government operations or the ongoing campaign against the Houthis.

Casualty figures varied slightly across early reports, with some sources citing two or four deaths before the Health Ministry settled on five. The dead included guards and civilian employees at the complex. The attack forms part of a broader escalation that has also seen Houthi strikes on Saudi airports and infrastructure in recent weeks.

The ability of the Houthis to reach the government’s main seat in the south with precision munitions underscores the continued reach of their missile and drone arsenal despite years of coalition airstrikes. Whether the strike draws a larger Saudi or coalition response, or remains one incident in an already active campaign, will shape the next phase of the conflict.