Yemeni media in Aden reported that the temporary capital was subjected to several strikes, “concentrated around the Ma’ashiq Presidential Palace,” according to what eyewitnesses reported.
She added, "Columns of smoke were seen rising heavily from the vicinity of the presidential complex."
This comes after the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council announced, on Thursday, the postponement of their summit, which was scheduled in Riyadh on October 24, 2026, to a date to be determined later, in light of the continuing escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Ansar Allah movement in Yemen.
The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and the Saudi Electronic Sports Federation also announced, on Thursday, the postponement of the finals of the “FIFAe 2026” tournament, which was scheduled to be held in Jeddah between October 16 and 25, 2026.
On Thursday, the Saudi-led military coalition announced the interception of a cruise missile in the Medina region.
The coalition revealed that the recent Houthi attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh resulted in the killing of 17 people and the injury of 333 others.
The military spokesman for the Houthi group, Yahya Saree, denied carrying out a targeting operation towards Medina, and said that what “Saudi Arabia claims” about targeting towards Medina is “a great and major slander,” as he put it.
Saree responded by saying, “What the Saudi aggression spokesman mentioned a short while ago (...) The criminal Saudi enemy has been carrying out many times more attacks on our country for 12 years, with a total of more than 274 thousand and 302 air strikes in which it committed all kinds of crimes and massacres.”
Saree explained in a statement issued by him, “Since the beginning of the resumption of aggressive operations and the escalation that the Saudi enemy began against our country, the Saudi enemy has launched more than two thousand and 350 air strikes and missiles, and whoever attacks our country does not wait for us to salute him.”
Last month, Riyadh accused the Houthis of trying to target Mecca with a drone, which the Houthis denied.
The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Jassem Al-Budaiwi, attributed the postponement of the summit to the Houthis’ continued attempts to target Saudi Arabia and its civilian objects, extending the suspension of operational operations at King Khalid International Airport, and ensuring the safety of the participating delegations.
The European Union confirmed that a new date for the summit will be announced later, stressing the strategic importance of the partnership with the Gulf states and its commitment to deepening it. The European statement did not specify the reason for the postponement.
King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh remains closed following the recent attacks.
Coalition spokesman Turki Al-Maliki announced on Thursday that the Houthi attacks on King Khalid International Airport during the period from October 7 to 11 resulted in the killing of 17 people and the injury of 333 others. He added that the coalition had monitored 20 attacks on the airport since the beginning of the month.
The repercussions of the security situation extended to sporting events, as the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and the Saudi Electronic Sports Federation announced, on Thursday, the postponement of the finals of the “FIFAe 2026” tournament, which was scheduled in Jeddah between October 16 and 25, after assessing the regional security situation and its impact on logistical arrangements.
In a development on the ground, forces affiliated with the internationally recognized Yemeni government announced, on Thursday, that they had repelled a Houthi attack on Mount Han, west of the city of Taiz.
The Deputy Head of the Moral Guidance Division in the Taiz Military Axis, Colonel Abdul Basit Al-Bahr, said that the forces thwarted the attack, without announcing a loss toll. There was no immediate comment from the Houthis, according to Anadolu Agency.
Mount Han overlooks the fog road that connects Taiz to Lahj Governorate, and from there to Aden, which gives it importance in securing access to the city.
On the other hand, the Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah channel reported that raids it said were Saudi targeted the communications network in the Al-Nashma area of Al-Maafer District, south of Taiz Governorate. According to Anadolu, there was no comment from Riyadh or the coalition on this news until 08:55 GMT, Thursday.
On the humanitarian front, the World Food Program warned on Wednesday that the escalation in fighting was preventing it and its partners from reaching more than 600,000 people who depend on humanitarian aid in Taiz, including more than 200,000 women and children.
The European Union called on the Houthis to lift the siege on the city of Taiz and allow the entry of food, water, medicine and fuel.
Its ambassador to Yemen, Patrick Simonet, said that the Union is following with great concern the situation in the city.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said that hospitals in Yemen are facing increasing pressure with the rise in the number of war-wounded and the escalation of battles on several fronts.
For its part, the United Nations welcomed, on Wednesday, the release of Sami Al-Kalabi, an employee in the Office of the United Nations Special Envoy to Yemen, who had been detained by the Houthis since 2024.
UN Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq said that Al-Kalabi has now returned to his home and his family.
At the daily press conference, he added, "This is a positive step in the right direction, and we hope that he will be able to receive the specialized medical care he urgently needs."
The United Nations renewed its call on the Houthis to immediately and unconditionally release all remaining detainees from United Nations employees, international and national non-governmental organizations, civil society and diplomatic missions.
To date, 71 UN employees are still detained by the Ansar Allah Houthi group.
In its World Economic Outlook report issued on Tuesday, the International Monetary Fund expected that Saudi Arabia’s economy would contract by 3.3% in 2026, in a rare recession that the Kingdom is witnessing. These forecasts were prepared before the recent attacks on Riyadh Airport.
The Fund expected a contraction in the economies of the Gulf countries, as the war continues to cause disruptions in fuel exports.
International Monetary Fund Director General Kristalina Georgieva warned Wednesday that the recent attacks on Saudi Arabia could affect everyone “everywhere.”
The Fund expects the region's economies to recover from the consequences of the war, ruling out their return to the pre-war path in the medium term.
Jihad Azour, director of the Fund’s Middle East and Central Asia Department, said on Thursday: “We will not return to the pre-war path in the medium term, because this shock will leave a lasting impact in various sectors, and will affect a number of infrastructures, which will require additional spending to enhance resilience.”
