It became the residence of President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi after he left for Aden as part of the Yemeni civil war.

In April 2015, as part of the Battle of Aden, the Houthis occupied the palace, and eventually withdrew from it with the start of Operation Decisive Storm.

[4] In March 2021, protesters stormed the palace, driven by widespread public anger over inadequate services, poor living conditions, and the devaluation of Yemen’s currency.

Reports indicated that the protest was sparked by the government’s failure to pay the salaries of retired soldiers.

The protesters, reportedly members of the national guard who had not been paid for nine months, were peacefully dispersed shortly afterward, according to media accounts.