Houthi missile strike on Aden palace kills five and injures 16
A Houthi missile attack on Yemen’s presidential palace in Aden killed five people and injured 16, according to officials. The strike targeted the seat of the internationally recognised government, though the prime minister and other ministers were reported unharmed.
Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani said five ballistic missiles hit al-Maashiq Palace; the Houthis said they had targeted a Saudi military operations headquarters in Aden. The casualties included guards and civilian employees. The attack comes amid renewed fighting after an informal ceasefire began to unravel, with pro-government forces backed by Saudi air strikes pushing back Houthi advances near the strategically important Bab al-Mandab Strait.
- Five people were killed and 16 injured in the Aden palace strike.
- Yemen’s prime minister and ministers were reported unharmed.
- The attack comes amid renewed fighting on several fronts.
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Yemen has been divided by a civil war since 2014, when the Houthi movement took control of the capital, Sanaa, and forced the government from the city. The Houthis are an armed political movement; their opponents include the internationally recognised government, which has been backed by a Saudi-led coalition.
Aden, a port city in southern Yemen, has served as the government’s base for much of the conflict. Al-Maashiq Palace is its seat there, while the Houthis and government forces have fought over territory and control of key routes. The Bab al-Mandab Strait, between Yemen and the Horn of Africa, is an important passage for international shipping.
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The case for
Supporters of the strike’s stated rationale may argue that targeting a Saudi military operations headquarters is part of resisting foreign military involvement in Yemen’s war. They may see attacks on command sites as a way to weaken the Saudi-backed campaign and improve the Houthis’ position in negotiations, while insisting that military targets should be distinguished from civilians.
The case against
Critics may argue that striking the presidential palace in a populated city, where guards and civilian employees were killed or injured, risks civilian harm and undermines the internationally recognised government. They may also see the attack as escalating a fragile conflict and making a return to a ceasefire less likely, regardless of the Houthis’ stated target.
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Originally published by BBC World as “Houthi missile attack on Yemeni presidential palace kills five, minister says”.