In brief
On 15 October 2026, five ballistic missiles fired by Yemen’s Houthi group struck the Marashiq Palace in Aden, the seat of the internationally recognised government. Two security officers were killed, while additional personnel suffered injuries. Yemeni officials confirmed the attack, stating that the prime minister and other ministers escaped unharmed. The Saudi‑led coalition, supporting the Yemeni government, continues to air‑support ground offensives against the Houthis. The incident follows a broader pattern of escalating Houthi‑Saudi hostilities, with recent strikes on Saudi infrastructure and the Gulf’s critical shipping lanes.
The attack, which occurred on 15 October 2026, killed two security officials guarding the Marashiq Palace in Aden, south‑eastern Yemen’s key government stronghold. Five ballistic missiles slammed into the building, causing extensive damage but leaving the prime minister and other ministers unhurt.
Yemeni Information Minister Moammar al‑Eryani reported that many other personnel were injured. The Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea claimed the missiles targeted “the Saudi enemy’s military operations headquarters” in the city.
The incident underscores the ongoing cycle of escalation between the Iran‑backed Houthis and the Saudi‑led coalition that backs Yemen’s internationally recognised government. The coalition is providing air support for an offensive aimed at pushing Houthi forces back from the southern Red Sea coast and other battle lines.
Prime Minister Shaya Zindani condemned the strike as “cowardly” and a “continuation of their criminal behaviour,” vowing to keep forces on the offensive. Meanwhile, Houthi attacks have increasingly targeted Saudi infrastructure, including a deadly missile strike on Riyadh’s international airport in a previous week.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister has accused the kingdom of encouraging the Houthis, prompting the Iranian foreign ministry to offer to facilitate talks between the two sides, though Tehran has denied directly arming the militants.
The Yemeni civil war, which began in 2014, has devastated the country: over 1,282 people have been killed and 5,890 injured since August, while 201,000 residents have been displaced and cholera cases are rising.
The recent missile assault on the presidential palace highlights the fragile security environment in Aden and the broader regional implications of the Yemen conflict.
