Houthis Strike Aden Presidential Palace; Casualty Counts Disputed

The Houthi group claimed responsibility for a missile attack on Yemen's Al-Ma'ashiq Presidential Palace in Aden on October 15, describing the target as the "Saudi military operations headquarters" in the city. Local security officials reported that five ballistic missiles struck the palace in Aden's Crater district, with a second wave targeting the Saudi-led coalition forces' headquarters in the Al Buraiqa district. Explosions were heard across the city, with smoke rising from the vicinity of the palace.

Casualty figures remain contested among officials. A local security official told Xinhua that four soldiers guarding the palace were killed and several others wounded, while Yemen's Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani told the BBC that two security personnel were killed but that the prime minister and other ministers were unhurt. A local medical official in Aden stated the actual casualty toll was higher but declined to provide specific figures, citing authorization constraints. The Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea did not disclose casualty or damage details in his statement.

The attack represents an escalation in the broader conflict between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia. Sarea stated that the Houthis considered any Saudi military presence a "legitimate target" and said the strike was part of the group's declared policy of targeting "Saudi military gatherings." This followed a Saturday missile strike attributed to the Houthis that killed 13 people at Riyadh's international airport—the deadliest such attack in Saudi Arabia in more than a decade.

Saudi Arabia's deputy foreign minister Rayed Krimly accused Iran of encouraging the Houthi escalation, stating that "Iran continues to arm, train and support the Houthi militia in violation of UN Security Council resolutions." Iran's government has previously denied supplying weapons to the Houthis, saying it only provides political support. Iran's foreign minister stated the country was ready to facilitate talks between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis.

The Yemen conflict has deepened since a four-year informal ceasefire unraveled in July 2024, when the Houthis announced a "maritime embargo" against Saudi Arabia and began attacking Saudi airports and oil facilities. According to Yemen's government health ministry, at least 1,282 people have been killed and 5,890 injured in fighting since August 6, 2024. The UN reports 201,000 people displaced and a surge in suspected cholera cases. The Houthis have attributed their attacks to Saudi airstrikes on their territory and a blockade they say targets their population.