A missile attack by the Houthi movement targeted the presidential palace in Aden, Yemen, resulting in five fatalities and 16 injuries, according to officials. Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani confirmed that the prime minister and other ministers were unharmed during the attack, which involved five ballistic missiles hitting al-Maashiq Palace. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea stated that the missiles were aimed at what he described as 'the Saudi enemy's military operations headquarters in Aden.'
The Yemeni government, supported by a Saudi-led coalition, is engaged in ongoing military operations against the Houthis, who are backed by Iran. Yemeni Health Minister Qasim Buhaibeh noted that the casualties included guards and civilian employees at the site.
Prime Minister Shaya Zindani condemned the attack, labeling it 'cowardly' and a continuation of the Houthis' 'criminal behaviour.' He asserted that the government would maintain its operations against the Houthis along Yemen's southwestern Red Sea coast and other fronts.
In a related development, the Houthis denied attacking Saudi Arabia on Thursday, despite claims from the coalition that a cruise missile was intercepted in the Medina region. The Houthis have been targeting various locations in Saudi Arabia in response to military actions against their territory in Yemen.
A recent missile strike by the Houthis at Riyadh's international airport resulted in 13 deaths, marking the deadliest attack in Saudi Arabia in over a decade. Saudi Arabia's deputy foreign minister accused Iran of supporting the Houthis, claiming that Iran continues to arm and train them in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
Iran has previously denied supplying weapons to the Houthis, asserting that its support is political. The Iranian foreign minister has expressed readiness to assist in facilitating talks between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis.
The civil war in Yemen, which began in 2014, has led to significant devastation, with the conflict escalating following the Saudi-led coalition's intervention in 2015. A ceasefire that had been in place began to deteriorate in July, leading to increased hostilities, including missile and drone attacks by the Houthis on Saudi targets.
The UN reports that at least 1,282 people have died and 5,890 have been injured since August 6, while 201,000 people have been displaced, with a concerning rise in suspected cholera cases.