At least 5 killed in Houthi attack on Yemen’s presidential palace in Aden

Houthi fighters have fired missiles at the presidential palace in Yemen's port city of Aden, killing at least five people and wounding 10 others.

The attack took place on Thursday (October 15). According to the BBC, it is the first time the Houthis have directly targeted Yemen's presidential palace.

The presidential complex houses the headquarters of Yemen's internationally recognized government. The strike has raised fears that the country's ongoing conflict will escalate further, and those close to the situation have warned it could slide into full-scale civil war.

Government forces and Houthi rebels have been engaged in clashes for the past two months. Thursday's missile strike on the palace, a key government installation, came as part of that continuing fighting.

Yemeni government sources claim the attack was aimed at killing the prime minister and other cabinet ministers. The report did not say whether the Houthis have commented on the target or purpose of the strike.

Many ordinary Yemenis fear a new, full-blown civil war. If the situation worsens, there are concerns that Saudi Arabia and other regional powers in the Middle East could be drawn into the conflict.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has stepped up diplomatic efforts, reaching out to other Muslim countries to rally support against the Houthis. Riyadh says the group poses a threat to regional security and maritime navigation.