Houthi missile attack on Yemeni presidential palace kills two, minister says
News Source
β’Thu, 15 Oct 2026 17:18:49 GMT
π° What Happened
Two security workers were killed when Houthi missiles hit the presidential palace in Aden, southern Yemen. The information minister told the BBC that five ballistic missiles struck al-Maashiq Palace and that many people were injured, but the prime minister and other ministers were unhurt. The Houthis said they had hit a Saudi military headquarters. Yemen's prime minister called the attack cowardly.
π The Backstory
Yemen's civil war began in 2014, when the Houthis took the capital Sanaa from the internationally recognised government. A Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 to try to restore the government. A long informal ceasefire began to break down in July 2026, when the Houthis announced a sea embargo on Saudi Arabia and started firing missiles and drones at its airports and oil sites. The Houthis have also seized part of Yemen's south-western Red Sea coast.
π― Why It Matters
Aden is the seat of Yemen's recognised government, so striking it hits the government's authority directly. The fighting also threatens shipping lanes near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which carry a large share of world trade. The UN says 201,000 more people have been displaced since August, and cholera cases are rising.
Two security workers were killed when Houthi missiles hit the presidential palace in Aden, southern Yemen. The information minister told the BBC that five ballistic missiles struck al-Maashiq Palace and that many people were injured, but the prime minister and other ministers were unhurt. The Houthis said they had hit a Saudi military headquarters. Yemen's prime minister called the attack cowardly.
Yemen's civil war began in 2014, when the Houthis took the capital Sanaa from the internationally recognised government. A Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 to try to restore the government. A long informal ceasefire began to break down in July 2026, when the Houthis announced a sea embargo on Saudi Arabia and started firing missiles and drones at its airports and oil sites. The Houthis have also seized part of Yemen's south-western Red Sea coast.
Aden is the seat of Yemen's recognised government, so striking it hits the government's authority directly. The fighting also threatens shipping lanes near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which carry a large share of world trade. The UN says 201,000 more people have been displaced since August, and cholera cases are rising.