HOUTHIS FIRE MISSILES AT ADEN PALACE COMPLEX

Yemen’s Houthis fired missiles at the Maashiq presidential palace complex in Aden on Thursday, killing two security guards, two government officials said. Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani said the group fired five missiles at the complex. He said Yemen’s prime minister and cabinet members were there and escaped injury. Three witnesses said they heard loud booms near the palace. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the strike formed part of the group’s policy of “targeting Saudi military build-ups wherever they are.”

On Friday, al-Eryani said two missiles landed near the runway at Aden International Airport, about 500 metres from an aircraft preparing to take off. He said all passengers and crew were safe. The Houthis said they had attacked a Saudi forces’ command headquarters at Badr camp in Aden province and a weapons depot. Al-Eryani called the airport attack “a grave violation of international laws and norms”. Aden is the seat of Yemen’s internationally recognised government.

The attacks came amid fighting between the Saudi-backed government and the Iran-aligned Houthis. Yemen’s army said it repelled a Houthi attack on Jabal Han, west of Taiz, on Thursday. Colonel Abdul Basit al-Bahr said the fighting lasted for hours but gave no casualty figures. Government forces said on Friday that they had advanced in Marib province, northeast of Sanaa. Military spokesperson Majed al-Nazili claimed those forces had taken key positions and killed more than 430 Houthi fighters in 24 hours.