The Palace Was Targeted, but the Cabinet Remained

In the port city of Aden, where the sea meets a nation's fractured hopes, the presidential palace sits on a hill like a symbol of something that has not yet found peace. On Thursday morning, that symbol was shaken by fire from the sky.

Houthi forces fired five ballistic missiles at the al-Maashiq Presidential Palace, the seat of Yemen's internationally recognized government, according to Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani. Two security personnel were killed in the attack, and many others were injured. Prime Minister Shaya al-Zindani and members of his cabinet were unhurt, the minister told the BBC .

The attack marks the first of its kind on the palace since fighting between the Houthis and the government resumed in July. Houthi-run media reported that the group had targeted "the headquarters of military operations, led by Saudi officers" at the palace, as well as weapons depots . A military spokesman for the group, Yahya Sarea, said on Telegram that the Houthis consider "any Saudi military presence a legitimate target" .

Aden, a city of nearly a million people, has served as the temporary capital since the Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014 and forced the government from the capital. A Saudi-led coalition intervened militarily in 2015 in support of the government, and the current escalation began after a 2022 truce collapsed .

Video clips circulated on social media showed columns of smoke rising from inside the palace compound. Government-run Saba news agency also reported that the Houthis attacked residential neighborhoods in the city of Marib with several ballistic missiles, and shelled civilian homes around the palace .

Prime Minister al-Zindani condemned the attack as "cowardly" and a "continuation of their criminal behavior," saying the government would continue its duties and would not weaken the resolve of its forces . The attack came just days after a Houthi missile strike killed 13 people at Riyadh's international airport in Saudi Arabia, the deadliest attack there in more than a decade. Saudi Arabia's deputy foreign minister accused Iran of encouraging the Houthis to escalate the conflict, saying Tehran "continues to arm, train and support" the group in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions .

For the families of the two security personnel killed, the morning brought a loss that no political statement can undo. For Aden, the attack was another reminder that the city, despite its role as the seat of government, remains within reach of the war it has tried to survive.

AI Image Disclaimer: The accompanying visual is AI-generated and does not depict the actual attack or individuals involved.

Sources: Anadolu Agency, BBC News, The New Arab, Apa.az, Deutschlandfunk, The Star Kenya