Five missiles targeted Yemen’s presidential palace in Aden amid escalating Houthi-Saudi tensions. The attack raised security concerns as the Houthis warned international airlines about Saudi airspace, while regional hostilities and military operations continued across Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
Five missiles targeted Al-Ma’ashiq Palace, which houses Yemen’s internationally recognised government, in the southern port city of Aden on Thursday, according to a local security official cited by China’s Xinhua News Agency. The attack came amid escalating hostilities involving the Houthi movement and Saudi Arabia, raising fresh concerns about security across the conflict-affected region.
The security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the missiles struck or targeted the presidential palace in Aden’s Crater district. The official blamed the attack on the Houthi group. However, the extent of the damage and whether anyone was killed or injured remained unclear at the time of reporting.
A Xinhua reporter in Aden reported hearing loud explosions, while smoke was seen rising from the vicinity of the palace. Residents living nearby said the blasts were powerful enough to shake their houses, adding to concerns over the security situation in the southern Yemeni city.
The attack occurred as the Houthi movement renewed its warning to international airlines regarding the safety of Saudi airspace and airports. According to Xinhua, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree issued a statement on the social media platform X, declaring Saudi airspace and airports unsafe, with the exception of airspace over the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
The warning has added another dimension to the growing regional tensions, potentially complicating aviation security assessments and flight operations in the area. However, the statement represented the position of the Houthi movement, and no independent assessment of the broader aviation threat was provided in the report.
Earlier on Thursday, Saree said the Houthis had not launched any attack towards Saudi territory that day. He rejected a Saudi allegation that an attack had been directed towards Medina, highlighting the conflicting claims being made by the opposing sides amid the continuing confrontation.
Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition involved in Yemen’s conflict announced further military developments earlier in the week. On Tuesday, coalition spokesperson Turki Al-Maliki said through a post on X that civilians would be warned to evacuate a location in the Houthi-controlled capital, Sanaa, ahead of what he described as a “special operation.” He did not provide specific details about the location or the planned operation in the announcement.
The coalition also said on Tuesday that it had intercepted and destroyed three drones north of the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The reported interception came amid a series of military warnings and allegations of attacks involving the Houthis and Saudi Arabia.
The latest developments underscore the continuing instability surrounding Yemen and the wider regional security environment. Missile attacks, drone interceptions and warnings concerning airspace have heightened concerns about the potential consequences for civilians, government facilities and transport infrastructure.
Yemen has been embroiled in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthi movement seized the capital, Sanaa, and took control of large parts of northern Yemen. The takeover forced the internationally recognised government out of the capital and deepened a conflict that has involved multiple domestic and regional actors.
The internationally recognised government subsequently established its base in Aden, a strategic southern port city, with backing from a Saudi-led coalition. The Houthis have maintained control over Sanaa and significant areas in the north, leaving Yemen divided between competing authorities.
The conflict has caused extensive humanitarian suffering and repeatedly threatened regional stability. Saudi Arabia has been directly involved in the conflict through its support for Yemen’s internationally recognised government, while the Houthis have continued to challenge their opponents militarily.
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The reported missile attack on Al-Ma’ashiq Palace, combined with the renewed warnings over Saudi airspace and the coalition’s statements about military operations, reflects the fragile security situation confronting Yemen and neighbouring countries.
As of the time of reporting, casualty figures and the extent of damage from Thursday’s reported missile attack remained unconfirmed. Further details about responsibility for the incident and any potential response from the parties involved were not immediately available.
