Houthi Missiles and Drones Strike Yemen Presidential Palace in Aden
The strike marks the first assault on the seat of Yemen's government since fighting resumed and threatens to widen the regional conflict.
Houthi forces launched a multi-missile and drone attack on the Al-Maashiq presidential palace complex in Aden on Thursday, October 15, 2026.
Yemeni Prime Minister Dr. Shaya Al-Zindani and cabinet members present at the complex were unharmed, the Information Ministry said. The palace serves as the interim seat of Yemen's internationally recognized government.
Casualty reports from the attack varied among officials and agencies. Two security guards from the prime minister's security detail died, government officials told Reuters and CNN. Military sources told Agence France-Presse that at least four people died and 10 were wounded.
An official told the Associated Press that at least two people were killed and six were wounded. Minister of Public Health and Population Qassem Buhaibeh said five people died and 16 were wounded among guards and civilian employees.
Five missiles struck the complex, according to Yemen's Information Ministry. Witnesses heard five to six loud explosions across the site and saw thick smoke. An anonymous local security official said two blasts hit the hilltop near the palace and two struck near compound gates.
The Information Ministry blamed the Iranian-backed Houthis for the strike. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the strike targeted a Saudi military operations headquarters and weapons depots inside the compound. Saree said the group attacks Saudi military deployments wherever they operate.
Rayed Krimly, Saudi deputy minister for public diplomacy at the foreign ministry, said Iran arms the Houthis and encouraged the escalation. The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted aerial threats over Saudi Arabia, including drones over Khamis Mushait and the Eastern Province.
The strike marked the first attack on the compound since fighting resumed in July 2026. Aden became the temporary capital after Houthi forces seized Sanaa in late 2014. A United Nations-backed truce that took effect in 2022 collapsed earlier in 2026.
The palace attack followed increased Houthi strikes targeting Saudi airports, military bases, and energy infrastructure over the past week. Maritime monitors also reported repeated attacks against commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz.
The coalition said it will continue military operations to degrade Houthi launch sites and weapons depots across Yemen. The Houthis renewed warnings that Saudi airspace and airports remain unsafe for civilian traffic, excluding Mecca and Medina. In Saudi Arabia, organizers postponed the Asian Tour golf season finale in Riyadh indefinitely.
