The Iranian-backed Houthi militia barraged the Yemeni government’s headquarters with missiles on Thursday, officials said, as Saudi Arabia accused Iran of fueling the escalating war in the country. The prime minister, Shayea al-Zandani, said in a statement that the Houthis had attacked Maashiq Palace in Aden, though it was unclear whether he was present at the time. Mr. al-Zandani was unhurt but two of his security detail were killed, according to a social media post by the Yemeni information minister, Moammar al-Eryani. Videos shared on social media on Thursday show smoke rising from near the presidential palace in Aden.
The extent of damage on structures in the palace compound is not clear from the videos, but smoke can be seen rising over a mile away. Aden has served as the seat of Yemen’s internationally-recognized government since 2015, after the Houthis seized the country’s capital, Sanaa, and forced the government into exile. The Yemeni government, controlled by an eight-person Presidential Leadership Council, has operated from the Saudi capital, Riyadh, for years.
In recent weeks, Saudi warplanes have been providing aerial support to government forces as they battle the Houthis in an attempt to recapture strategic territory on the Red Sea. Yahya Saree, a military spokesman for the militia, said in a statement on social media that the group targeted the “Saudi enemy’s military operations headquarters in Aden.”.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing