Houthi Missiles Strike Yemen's Presidential Palace, Killing Guards

Houthi forces fired ballistic missiles at al-Maashiq Palace in the southern Yemeni city of Aden on Thursday, killing at least two security guards, according to Yemeni government officials and the Saudi-led coalition. Yemen’s prime minister and other senior cabinet members were present but escaped unharmed, the country’s information minister confirmed.

What We Know

At least six explosions struck near the palace, which serves as the operational seat of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, witnesses told The Guardian. Middle East Eye and the Jerusalem Post confirmed at least two security guards were killed in the strike; Times of Israel cited Yemeni officials putting the toll at a minimum of four dead. The casualty count remains in conflict across sources.

Yemen’s information minister stated that the prime minister and other senior ministers survived the attack unharmed, per BBC reporting. Houthi forces also fired ballistic missiles at the city of Marib in Yemen’s interior during the same wave of attacks. Saudi air defenses intercepted a separate Houthi ballistic missile over Medina earlier Thursday, as covered in this earlier report.

The Aden attack follows a day of sustained Houthi missile fire across the Arabian Peninsula. Earlier Thursday, the Saudi-led coalition reported that Houthi attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Abha International Airport killed 19 people and injured 364, according to Middle East Monitor.

What We Don’t Know

The precise death toll at al-Maashiq Palace remains unverified, with official accounts ranging from two to four fatalities. It is not yet confirmed whether the missiles were specifically aimed at Yemen’s government leadership or whether the palace was one of multiple simultaneous strike targets. No formal Houthi claim of responsibility for the Aden attack has been confirmed as of publication. This story is developing.

Context

The strike on al-Maashiq Palace is the most direct Houthi attack on Yemen’s internationally recognized government in the current escalation cycle. Aden became the de facto capital of the Saudi-backed administration after Houthi forces seized Sanaa. A successful strike on the cabinet would have constituted a political decapitation of the rival government at a moment when Houthi forces are simultaneously pressing campaigns against Saudi Arabia.

The broader Houthi offensive has combined attacks on Saudi civilian infrastructure, Yemeni government targets, and missiles fired toward areas under coalition protection. For context on the parallel Ukraine-Russia escalation affecting global energy markets, see Russia and Ukraine Strike Data Centers to Inflict Economic Pain and Ukraine Resumes Russian Refinery Strikes After Ceasefire Fails.

What to Watch

1. Updated and confirmed casualty figures from the Aden palace attack, and whether Houthi forces issue a formal claim of responsibility.
2. Saudi-led coalition military response: whether airstrikes on Houthi positions inside Yemen escalate following the attempt on the Yemeni government.
3. Whether Yemen’s internationally recognized government announces security measures for senior officials or relocates key ministers out of Aden.