Aden (Yemen)/Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), October 16 (H.S.): The Iran-backed Houthi group has targeted the Al-Maashiq Presidential Palace in Aden, Yemen, killing five people and injuring 16 others. Yemen’s Health Minister, Qasim Mohammed Buhaibeh, confirmed the casualties. The attack comes amid fierce fighting between Houthi forces and government troops. The Yemeni government said the Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet narrowly escaped harm in the missile attack on the presidential compound.

According to Al Jazeera, Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for the attack, which took place on Thursday. He said, “The bombing of the headquarters of the Saudi enemy’s military operations in Aden is part of our declared policy of targeting Saudi activities wherever they may be. We consider any Saudi enemy military presence, wherever it is located, to be directed against us.”

Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, described the attack as part of a series of strikes on airports and oil facilities in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. He directed government forces to take the necessary measures to protect state institutions.

Al-Alimi said the “Yemen’s Rise” campaign, launched earlier this month, was progressing towards its objectives. The campaign aims to restore state institutions and extend government authority across the country, with the eventual goal of reaching the capital, Sanaa.

According to Al Arabiya, Yemen’s Minister of Youth Affairs, Nayef Saleh al-Bakri, said all ministers present in Aden were safe. He added that the Prime Minister and his Cabinet colleagues would not leave the city following the attack.

Meanwhile, Yemen’s government forces claimed to have carried out 1,250 strikes against Houthi positions over the preceding 24 hours. Government forces spokesperson Majed al-Nujailee said in a post on X that the operations involved fighter aircraft, drones, artillery and rocket launchers. He also claimed that 150 Houthi vehicles had been destroyed and that the strikes had inflicted significant losses on the group in Taiz.

Saudi Arabia has accused the Houthis of committing war crimes, alleging that the rebels are endangering Islam’s holy sites and pilgrims. Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia has issued a warning about possible attacks on Saudi airports and restricted travel by its personnel.

Separately, two airstrikes targeted Houthi positions in Dhi al-Barih and Jabal in Yemen’s Taiz region.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar