Aden: At least five people were killed and 16 others injured in an attack targeting the al-Maashiq Presidential Palace in Aden, southern Yemen, according to Yemeni Health Minister Qasim Mohammed Buhaibeh, as reported by Al Jazeera. The incident comes amid a sharp escalation in hostilities between the Houthi movement and government forces.
Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted on X on Thursday, describing the target as a Saudi military operations headquarters in Aden. He said the operation was part of the group’s stated policy of targeting Saudi military deployments.
Yemen’s Leadership Condemns Attack
Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, described the incident as an extension of attacks on airports and oil facilities in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
Al-Alimi said he had directed government forces to take measures to protect state institutions, address security threats and respond to the sources of danger. He also said the government’s “Dawn of Yemen” operation, launched earlier this month, aimed to restore state institutions and extend government authority across the country, including the capital, Sanaa.
Yemen’s Youth Minister Nayef Saleh al-Bakri said cabinet ministers in Aden were unharmed and that the government would remain in the city, according to Al Arabiya.
Government Reports Attacks on Houthi Positions
Yemeni government forces said they had carried out 1,250 attacks against Houthi positions in the preceding 24 hours as part of the “Dawn of Yemen” campaign. Government spokesperson Majed al-Nuzaili said the operations involved aircraft, drones, artillery and rocket launchers, and claimed that 150 Houthi vehicles had been destroyed.
The spokesperson also said the campaign had damaged Houthi fortifications, particularly along the Taiz front. These battlefield figures have not been independently verified.
Separately, the Marib Governorate Media Office reported that the Houthis fired nine ballistic missiles and seven other projectiles towards Marib city on Thursday evening. The office condemned the attacks and called on the United Nations and international organisations to take steps to protect civilians.
Houthi Claims of Attacks on Saudi Arabia
The latest violence follows Houthi claims that the group targeted Saudi Aramco facilities in the Eastern Province, the Ras Tanura refinery and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Wednesday.
Saree said the attacks involved ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones and were carried out in response to what the group described as Saudi aggression against Yemen. The reported damage and the extent of the strikes have not been independently confirmed.
In a separate statement, Saree alleged that Saudi aircraft had carried out 65 airstrikes and missile attacks across several Yemeni provinces, including Sanaa, Lahj, Hodeidah, Taiz, Amran, Saada and Marib. He claimed the cumulative number of Saudi strikes and missile attacks had reached 2,388 since the escalation began. These figures also remain unverified.
Regional Powers Respond to Escalation
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister for Public Diplomacy Rayed Krimly accused Iran of supporting the Houthis through weapons, training and other assistance, according to Al Jazeera. He also alleged that elements in Russia and China had provided capabilities or intelligence to Iran and the Houthis.
French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said France had begun deploying military assets in Saudi Arabia to help protect oil facilities. French President Emmanuel Macron had previously announced plans to send troops and defence systems to protect Yanbu, a key Red Sea energy transport hub.
The Saudi-led coalition also said it had intercepted two ballistic missiles aimed at Khamis Mushait and neutralised three drones north of Riyadh. The Houthis separately claimed to have downed a Saudi reconnaissance aircraft. These claims have not been independently verified.
Conflict Raises Wider Security Concerns
Yemen’s Foreign Minister Afrah al-Zouba has called on European countries to take a stronger position on fighting in Taiz. According to Yemen’s Foreign Ministry, she discussed the clashes and worsening humanitarian conditions, including displacement, with European Union Ambassador to Yemen Patrick Simonnet.
The conflict intensified in 2014 when Houthi forces seized Sanaa and ousted the internationally recognised government. Saudi Arabia led a military intervention in 2015.
The latest escalation has raised concerns over civilian safety, regional stability, energy infrastructure and maritime trade through the Red Sea and the strategically important Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
