Jet attack forces Yemen's Hadi into hiding

Officials said on Thursday that Hadi had been moved to a "safe location" after the jet attack on the palace in Aden.

The sound of two explosions was heard, with smoke apparently seen rising from the hilltop compound. Anti-aircraft guns at the palace were said to have opened fire on the jet, with sources telling the AFP news agency that the plane was forced to retreat.

Security forces said the warplane had opened fire but that it had missed the palace, hitting a nearby hillside.

Officials said there had been no injuries in the jet attack, and that Hadi had not been there at the time.

Hadi resigned his post in January, after the Shiite Houthi militia - who are allied with ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh - took over his palace in the capital Sanaa and appointed a "presidential council" to rule the country.

Resignation retracted

He fled to the port city of Aden last month, having been placed under house arrest in Sanaa, and later retracted his resignation claiming it had been signed under duress.

The situation in Aden is complicated, with Hadi loyalists dominating the city, but some units loyal to Saleh.

Deadly clashes forced the closure of Aden's main airport on Thursday, which came under attack by police special forces led by a pro-Houthi renegade general. They met with resistance from the Popular Committees - local paramilitary groups that back Hadi.

At least six people were killed in the fighting, according to security sources, and another 20 were wounded.

rc/mkg (AFP, AP, Reuters)