Houthis Plead with Putin to Stop Liberation of Hodeidah

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Reuters file photo
Russian President Vladimir Putin. Reuters file photo
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Houthis Plead with Putin to Stop Liberation of Hodeidah

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Reuters file photo
Russian President Vladimir Putin. Reuters file photo

Houthi militias have begged Russian President Vladimir Putin for support against Yemeni government forces and the Saudi-led coalition which are tightening the noose on the insurgents and their Iranian-backed plan in Yemen.

In a letter sent to Putin, head of Yemen’s Supreme Political Council Mahdi al-Mashat warned that the coalition has been aiming to take control of all strategic maritime areas to put them under US influence and lay hands on international trade, official sources said on Thursday.

According to the group, this letter aims at strengthening bilateral relations with friendly countries. Observers, however, viewed it as an attempt to legitimize the militia.

Mashat presented himself in the letter as a speaker on behalf of the Yemeni government and people.

He urged the Russian president to intervene to stop the battle of the West Coast, led by the legitimate government and Saudi-led coalition forces to liberate Hodeidah and its port and the Yemeni coast on the Red Sea.

The legitimate forces have been trying to control sea ports from where Houthis receive weapons sent by Iran and military and technical support from the Lebanese “Hezbollah.”

The letter claimed that the war waged by the legitimate government with the support of the Saudi-led coalition to end the coup is unjustified and violates UN charters, international laws and Yemen’s sovereignty, and threatens the world and the region, according to the Houthi version of Saba news agency.

Ironically, the group used terms such as UN charters, international laws, and Yemeni sovereignty while in fact it violates everything mentioned in the letter.

The group also claimed that the liberation of Hodeidah and the West Coast would transform the Red Sea into an American “lake” and would give Washington control of trade routes and power lines in Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Yemeni islands.

Mashat claimed in his letter that the group looks forward for a Russian role that would stop the legitimate government’s and the coalition’s liberation operations, and would support a comprehensive political settlement that would meet the expectations of the Houthis in ruling Yemen and keeping its weapons in service to Iran.



Sudan’s Al-Burhan Backs Inclusive Dialogue but Pledges to Continue Fighting the RSF

Al-Burhan flanked by Yasser Al-Atta and Shams El Din Kabbashi during the Army Day celebration (Transitional Sovereignty Council Media)
Al-Burhan flanked by Yasser Al-Atta and Shams El Din Kabbashi during the Army Day celebration (Transitional Sovereignty Council Media)
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Sudan’s Al-Burhan Backs Inclusive Dialogue but Pledges to Continue Fighting the RSF

Al-Burhan flanked by Yasser Al-Atta and Shams El Din Kabbashi during the Army Day celebration (Transitional Sovereignty Council Media)
Al-Burhan flanked by Yasser Al-Atta and Shams El Din Kabbashi during the Army Day celebration (Transitional Sovereignty Council Media)

The Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council and Commander of the Sudanese Army, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has approved an initiative to launch a dialogue that brings together all political and civil parties.

Despite his announcement, he pledged to continue fighting until the rebellion of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is defeated across the country.

Speaking on Friday on the 72nd anniversary of the Sudanese Armed Forces, al-Burhan said: "In light of this troubled political reality, a group of Sudanese citizens took the initiative to present their vision to work as an independent national mechanism to prepare for an inclusive Sudanese dialogue, with the goal of reaching a comprehensive national consensus that puts the country on the path to stability."

He added that he agreed to provide the necessary guarantees for holding the all-party talks, facilitate the participation of the different groups, and protect their safety.

Al-Burhan stressed that the state was willing to provide the necessary logistical support as well as legal, political, and security guarantees, without being the organizing entity of the dialogue.

He noted that providing these guarantees does not mean the state will dictate the participants of the dialogue, draft its agenda, control its outcomes, or provide it with political sponsorship.

Al-Burhan clarified that "the action taken by the state regarding any of the participants in the dialogue is not considered a pardon, but rather means suspending the criminal proceedings previously taken by the state against them."

He stated that these measures represent a "temporary immunity" to create appropriate conditions that ensure the participation of the parties.

The Sudanese army commander also pledged legal protection for the opinions and positions expressed by participants, saying statements made during dialogue sessions would not be used as grounds for legal prosecution.

A-Burhan said the army was ready to engage with any serious peace initiative but would not accept what he called an “incomplete peace” that returned the RSF and its supporters to power.

He stated that the army would continue the “completion of the cleansing of the country from the terrorist militia.”

The path to peace must begin with RSF forces withdrawing from cities and gathering in designated areas, followed by the return of displaced people and refugees to their homes, he added.

The Democratic Bloc welcomed al-Burhan’s announcement to hold the all-party talks.

Its spokesperson, Mohamed Zakaria, said Saturday that al-Burhan’s emphasis on the importance of inter-Sudanese dialogue and the need to create a conducive environment for its launch represents a significant step towards addressing the crisis through a national political process.

He called on all sides to engage positively with any serious effort to launch a comprehensive national dialogue, provided that the process is managed entirely by Sudanese parties and that the regional and international role is limited to facilitation and support without interfering in determining participants or imposing an agenda or outcomes.


Egypt, China Consolidate Cooperation by Holding Air Combat Maneuvers

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and China’s President Xi Jinping held summit talks in the Chinese capital, Beijing, in May 2024. Photo: Egyptian Presidency
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and China’s President Xi Jinping held summit talks in the Chinese capital, Beijing, in May 2024. Photo: Egyptian Presidency
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Egypt, China Consolidate Cooperation by Holding Air Combat Maneuvers

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and China’s President Xi Jinping held summit talks in the Chinese capital, Beijing, in May 2024. Photo: Egyptian Presidency
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and China’s President Xi Jinping held summit talks in the Chinese capital, Beijing, in May 2024. Photo: Egyptian Presidency

Egypt and China have consolidated their military cooperation by announcing new air combat drills that are set to start this month.

"The Chinese and Egyptian air forces will hold Eagles of Civilization 2026 joint training in Egypt from mid-August to early September," said Senior Colonel Chen Xi, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense (MND), at a press briefing on Friday.

"The training will focus on such subjects as air combat tactics, air superiority operations, and combat search and rescue, and will include force employment drills," said the spokesperson.

"As the second iteration of its kind, the joint training will further enhance mutual trust and traditional friendship, deepen substantive cooperation between the Chinese and Egyptian militaries, and contribute to regional peace and stability," stressed the spokesperson.

The joint air force exercise between China and Egypt "Eagles of Civilization 2025" was held in April last year at an Egyptian air base. It marked the first-ever military air drill between the two nations and the first time the Chinese PLA Air Force systematically deployed multiple troop types to the African continent.

In May 2024, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Beijing to mark the 10th anniversary of their comprehensive strategic partnership.

The leaders declared 2024 the "Egypt-China Partnership Year,” signing bilateral agreements on the Belt and Road Initiative, technology, and industrial localization.


Yemen's Mokha Port Halts Operations after Houthi Attacks

Flames and smoke rise from the port of Mokha during a strike in Yemen, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdulnasser Alseddik)
Flames and smoke rise from the port of Mokha during a strike in Yemen, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdulnasser Alseddik)
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Yemen's Mokha Port Halts Operations after Houthi Attacks

Flames and smoke rise from the port of Mokha during a strike in Yemen, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdulnasser Alseddik)
Flames and smoke rise from the port of Mokha during a strike in Yemen, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdulnasser Alseddik)

Yemen's Mokha port has suspended commercial and maritime operations after being hit by more than 25 missiles in Houthi attacks over recent days, the port's director said on Saturday.

The attacks killed seven people and caused an estimated $16 million in losses, the director told a news conference.

The latest attacks come amid an ongoing Houthi escalation that has lasted for about two weeks, targeting military positions and vital facilities in government-controlled provinces, alongside an intensification of operations on several fronts.

Brig. Gen. Sadiq Duwaid, spokesman for the National Resistance Forces, said the group had launched dozens of ballistic missiles and drones in recent days at the city of Mokha, its port, and surrounding facilities.

Duwaid believes the group turned to targeting civilian infrastructure after suffering losses on the battlefronts, while government forces say the latest attacks are aimed at weakening economic activity and depriving residents of essential services and sources of income.

The repeated strikes made it difficult for ambulance and field teams to reach the port in the early hours, according to the National Resistance Forces' military media outlet, which said the intensity of the bombardment hindered firefighting operations and efforts to assess the damage and casualties.