Houthis attack Yemen's Aden, say Saudi strikes kill 16

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - The Iran-backed Houthis launched an attack on Yemen's southern city of Aden on Saturday, following accusations from the group that Saudi Arabia had killed 16 people in strikes on the capital Sanaa and a Red Sea port city. The ongoing conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, who are backed by Riyadh, has escalated in recent months, with the latter targeting key infrastructure in the country.

Saudi Arabia and the internationally recognized Yemeni government have been the primary targets of Houthi aggression, marking a significant shift in the broader Middle Eastern conflict that began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February. Earlier on Saturday, the Saudi-led coalition intercepted two missiles that were aimed at Saudi cities Taif and Yanbu in the kingdom's west, prior to explosions being heard in Aden, the capital of the government supported by Riyadh during the protracted civil war.

The Houthis promptly claimed responsibility for the assault on Aden, stating that they targeted a naval base and a military camp operated by Saudi forces. Yahya Saree, a spokesman for the Houthi military, confirmed the attack, saying, "Our armed forces targeted Saudi enemy concentrations at the so-called Al-Nasr camp and the naval base in Aden." The Yemeni government's interior ministry reported that the attack struck the coast guard.