Houthi Strikes Hit Aden as Saudi Forces Target Taiz Siege

The latest attacks follow a renewed phase of Yemen's war. Fighting flared again in July after a hiatus lasting years, according to NDTV, with Houthi missiles and drones targeting Saudi oil installations, tankers and airports.

Government forces launched a campaign to recapture Houthi territory in the week before the Aden palace attack, The Independent reported. NDTV described the attacks on Saudi sites as a response to the kingdom's backing of those forces.

On October 15, missiles struck the presidential compound in Aden, the interim capital used by Yemen's internationally recognised government. The targets included command centres inside the Al-Maashiq compound used by government forces and the Saudi coalition, according to News18.

Casualty reports differed. Times now reported at least four deaths and 10 injuries, while CBC reported two guards killed. Later coverage from Euronews, citing officials, put the toll at five dead and 16 injured. Middle East Eye reported that the president was present but unharmed.

Also on October 15, the coalition said Houthis had attacked Riyadh airport 20 times that month, according to NDTV. Arab News reported that the UN Security Council condemned the escalating attacks and affirmed Saudi Arabia's right to self-defense.

On October 16, Yemen's government said Houthis fired two missiles at Aden airport, Al Jazeera reported. The group subsequently claimed responsibility, saying it targeted a weapons depot and military command headquarters, according to AP. Separately, the coalition released footage it described as strikes on a Houthi weapons-smuggling operation in Hodeidah, Arab News reported.

By October 17, Houthis had surrounded Taiz, according to the Financial Times. The city connects the government-held south with the Red Sea, The New York Times reported. Another attack near Aden's presidential palace killed at least two people and wounded six, according to The Hindu.

On October 18, Saudi forces said they had struck multiple positions around Taiz to break the siege, Al Jazeera reported. The coalition also reported destroying drones in the Riyadh region and Eastern Province, according to Middle East Eye.

The fighting now combines pressure on Yemen's government-held cities with continued attacks toward Saudi Arabia. Government forces face disrupted supply routes, territorial setbacks and rising fuel costs, according to Times of India. The reported airstrikes around Taiz have not yet established that the siege has been broken.

Claims about outside assistance remain attributed reports. Iran International, relaying reporting based on people briefed on intelligence, said Iran was providing targeting intelligence to the Houthis. Separately, the Houthis claimed to have shot down a Saudi Apache helicopter near Najran, Times now reported; that coverage does not establish independent confirmation.

The immediate test is whether the airstrikes around Taiz relieve the siege and allow government forces to restore disrupted supply routes. Further coalition announcements will also show whether drone and missile interceptions continue alongside attacks on Aden.

Egypt is weighing defensive support, according to The Hindu. Whether it commits assistance, and what form that takes, remains unresolved in the supplied reporting.