The moment before the surprise: UAVs in Yemen spotted over government complex
Air defense systems in Aden were activated early this morning following the presence of unidentified UAVs near the presidential palace. This marks the second such incident in the region within a few days.
Air defense systems in Aden opened fire early this morning (between Sunday and Monday) at UAVs hovering near the Ma'ashiq Palace, which serves as the presidential and government complex in Yemen's temporary capital. Residents in the Crater district reported sounds of gunfire and explosions clearly heard throughout the area, while security forces raised the alert level around the palace and nearby government facilities. According to local reports, forces identified with the southern separatist camp claimed the UAVs were attempting to approach vital service facilities in the city. So far, there have been no reports of casualties or damage, and no confirmation that any of the UAVs were shot down.
Parallel to the incident in Aden, there was a report of another UAV hovering over a military camp in the north of Abyan province, east of the city, before local air defense systems engaged it. In this case, too, the origin of the aircraft remains unknown. The Houthis have not claimed responsibility for the events in Aden and Abyan, and local reports emphasize that the identity of the UAVs remains uncertain.
This is the second incident in a few days where air defense has been activated over Aden. On Saturday morning, there were reports of increased UAV movement over security and military sites in the city, including the areas of Medinat al-Sha'ab, Bir Ahmed, and Salah al-Din. Anti-aircraft guns were activated then as well, with no verified reports of hits or casualties.
The tension in Aden comes against the backdrop of a sharp escalation in the war between the Houthis and forces supported by Saudi Arabia. Yesterday, the Houthis attacked the port of Mokha on the Red Sea coast using ballistic missiles and UAVs. The Yemeni army stated that four soldiers and three civilians were killed, and about thirty people were injured. According to the army, air defense systems shot down 11 UAVs involved in the attack. The Houthis announced their targets were concentrations of Saudi forces and weapons depots, though the Yemeni government stated that residential neighborhoods and civilian infrastructure were also hit.
In the same wave of escalation, the Houthis also claimed responsibility for an attack on the Aramco refinery in Jizan, southern Saudi Arabia. A fire broke out at the facility and was extinguished without casualties. These attacks follow the Houthis' announcement last month of a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, increasing fears of a large-scale war in Yemen and the spillover of the conflict into Saudi Arabia and Red Sea shipping lanes.
The claim regarding the Jizan attack comes amid a significant increase in fighting across Yemen. Last Thursday, the Yemeni army announced that the Iranian-backed Houthi militia had attacked government forces, raising fears of a renewed flare-up in the country's long-standing civil war.
According to a report by The New York Times, the Houthis directed their attacks toward army bases and units deployed in the oil-rich provinces of Marib and Hadhramaut, which are under government control. The fighting has taken a heavy toll; the state news agency in Yemen, citing an Arab coalition statement, reported that at least 17 military personnel were killed in the attack.
