SOUTH24 CENTER FOR NEWS & STUDIES
SOUTH24 CENTER FOR NEWS & STUDIES
A still image from a video shared by a local resident shows smoke rising from Maashiq Palace following the Houthi attack in Aden, Yemen, October 15, 2026.
16-10-2026 at 10 AM Aden Time
Aden (South24 Center)
Yemeni Minister of Public Health and Population Qasem Buhaibeh announced that the death toll from Thursday’s (October 15) Houthi missile attack on Maashiq Presidential Palace, the official headquarters of Yemen’s internationally recognized government in Aden, has risen to five, with 16 others injured.
In a Facebook post, Buhaibeh said the victims were personnel working at the presidential compound, including security guards and civilian employees. He noted that the attack recalled the December 2020 assault on Aden International Airport, which targeted the newly formed Yemeni government.
Initial reports indicated that two escorts of Prime Minister Shaya al-Zindani had been killed and others injured in the strike, before the health minister announced the updated casualty figures. Yemeni Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani confirmed that the prime minister and members of the government were safe, saying the Houthis had targeted the palace with five missiles.
In a post on X, Prime Minister al-Zindani condemned the attack, describing it as part of the Iran-backed Houthi militia's continued targeting of civilians and civilian facilities. He said the strike was intended to undermine state institutions and disrupt efforts to restore security and stability. Al-Zindani stressed that the government would continue carrying out its duties and that such attacks would not deter it from pursuing the military operation "Dawn of Yemen" to regain control of state institutions and end the Houthi takeover.
The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, alleging that they had targeted a military operations center run by Saudi officers inside the presidential compound, along with weapons depots. These claims could not be independently verified.
The attack came days after Aden International Airport was targeted with ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones, amid escalating clashes between the Houthis and opposing forces on several fronts in Yemen and a widening wave of missile attacks in recent days.
