Houthis launch attack on presidential palace in Aden

The Houthis carried out a missile attack on Thursday against the presidential palace in Aden, Yemen's interim capital, as Saudi Arabia attributed the recent surge in the ongoing war to Iran. The assault targeted command centers in the presidential compound utilized by government forces and the Saudi-led military coalition backing them, according to a Yemeni minister.

Saudi Arabia and the internationally recognized Yemeni government they support have faced repeated Houthi strikes recently, shifting the conflict's focus in the broader Middle Eastern war that began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February. The Houthis have acquired significant territory along Yemen's Red Sea coast in recent weeks, and a government counteroffensive with Saudi air support has thus far been unsuccessful in reversing their gains.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing smoke and hearing explosions during the attack, the first on the complex since the civil war reignited in July. Prime Minister Shaya al-Zindani was present but unharmed, according to a government minister. The Houthis struck a command center for Yemeni government forces with three missiles and another for Saudi-led coalition forces with two missiles, causing casualties on both sides.

Media affiliated with the Houthis claimed they targeted military operations headquarters led by Saudi officers and their weapons depots at the Al-Maashiq Palace in Aden. Yemen's civil war, with Saudi Arabia leading a military coalition supporting the government since 2015, resumed following the collapse of a long-standing truce.

Riyadh accused Iran of encouraging the escalation, stating it continues to arm and train the Houthi group. The Saudi-led coalition reported that Houthis' drone attacks on their southern region and the city of Khamis Mushait were intercepted. Yemeni government forces stated the Houthis also fired several ballistic missiles at the central city of Marib, a strategic oil-rich area.

Oman refused a meeting in July to resolve the conflict, according to the Saudi ministry. Saudi Arabia experienced its deadliest attack in over a decade when a strike on Riyadh's international airport killed 13 and wounded around 300. The Saudi-led coalition reported the Houthi group had launched 20 attacks on Riyadh's airport this month, accusing them of acquiring advanced technologies with help from regional actors.

The attacks on Saudi Arabia exposed the country's infrastructure vulnerabilities, the energy minister noted earlier this week. The Yemeni conflict has become one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with the United Nations reporting most of the nation's population dependent on aid.