Houthi missiles target Aden presidential palace as shipping attacks surge

Yemen's Houthis struck the presidential palace in Aden with two missiles on Friday, sending ambulances into the large compound following explosions heard across the city. This attack followed Saudi forces intercepting a drone near Riyadh and a ballistic missile in southern Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, the UK Marine Trade Operations Centre reported that October saw just over thirty maritime attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, marking the highest monthly total since the war began besides March and doubling the figure from September. The conflict crossed the eight-month mark after starting on February 28, bringing the total reported incidents to 145. In diplomatic developments, Secretary of State Marco Rubio opened G20 talks in Atlanta with counterparts like Russia's Sergei Lavrov, warning of severe threats to the global economy and urging cooperation on energy and food supply chains and freedom of navigation. In the UAE, authorities reported no new oil leakage from the tanker GEM NO. 2 after an oil spill that affected coastal areas of Umm Al-Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, and Sharjah, with cleanup operations continuing. Additionally, a Lebanese military court charged 13 people for shipping about 1,100 pounds of explosives to Hezbollah, though only two suspects have been detained and five remain identified only by noms de guerre.

Context

These events reflect how the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East continue to disrupt maritime trade, energy transport, and regional stability. Major international forums like the G20 face deep divisions as delegates attempt to address these widespread geopolitical and economic crises.