West Warns the Houthis: Any Return to Conflict Would Lead to Total Isolation

The head of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council met with the US ambassador in Riyadh last Thursday. SABA
The head of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council met with the US ambassador in Riyadh last Thursday. SABA
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West Warns the Houthis: Any Return to Conflict Would Lead to Total Isolation

The head of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council met with the US ambassador in Riyadh last Thursday. SABA
The head of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council met with the US ambassador in Riyadh last Thursday. SABA

The US, Britain and France have warned the Houthi militias in Yemen that “any return to conflict would lead to their total isolation by the international community.”

The ambassadors of the three countries called on the Houthis on Tuesday “to immediately cease any actions that will further damage the economy of Yemen and to engage with the UN.”

In a statement, the diplomats welcomed “the continued broad adherence by all parties to the truce-like conditions in Yemen over the past year.”

“These conditions have allowed for important progress on a number of key issues. The facilitation of goods through Hodeidah port has been an important step to increase Yemeni citizens’ access to much needed basic resources,” said the statement.

While underlining their commitment to a comprehensive political solution in Yemen, the ambassadors called on the Houthis “to prioritize the Yemeni people and engage constructively with all parties in efforts to achieve peace.”

The statement also welcomed “the announcement of new international flights from Sanaa airport, increasing freedom of movement for Yemeni citizens. This included the first direct flights from Sanaa to Saudi Arabia in seven years for this year’s Hajj pilgrimage.”



Lebanon Summons Iranian Ambassador Over Remarks on State’s Monopoly on Arms

Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raji (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raji (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Lebanon Summons Iranian Ambassador Over Remarks on State’s Monopoly on Arms

Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raji (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raji (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Lebanon’s Foreign Minister, Youssef Raji, has summoned Iranian Ambassador to Beirut Mojtaba Amani to protest his criticism of recent attempts to disarm Hezbollah and limit weapons to state control.

The move, a rare diplomatic gesture, comes amid discussions on national sovereignty and external interference.

Sources at the Lebanese Foreign Ministry told Asharq Al-Awsat in remarks published Wednesday that Raji took the decision to summon Amani over statements viewed as a clear interference in internal Lebanese affairs.

The ambassador is expected to appear at the ministry within the next two days, where he will be formally notified of Lebanon’s objection to his comments.

Officials described the move as “unprecedented” because it is one of the few times a diplomat has been summoned over a social media post - specifically on X.

In the post published Friday, Amani wrote that the “disarmament project is a clear conspiracy against nations.” He went on to criticize what he described as US hypocrisy, saying: “While the United States continues to supply the Zionist entity with the latest weapons and missiles, it pressures other nations to disarm or weaken their militaries under various pretexts.”

He warned that countries that “surrender to these disarmament demands become vulnerable to attack and occupation, as happened in Iraq, Libya, and Syria.”

Amani stressed that Iran “is fully aware of this dangerous conspiracy and its threat to regional security,” calling on others not to fall into what he described as an “enemy trap.”

While the ambassador did not mention Lebanon by name, his post was widely interpreted as a direct reference to ongoing Lebanese discussions about curbing Hezbollah’s arsenal.

President Joseph Aoun has been engaged in talks with Hezbollah representatives on resolving the weapons issue.

On Sunday, Aoun confirmed that a decision had already been made to limit weapons to state institutions, saying he was waiting for the appropriate conditions to implement it. “These conditions will define the path forward.”

Hezbollah continues to openly acknowledge receiving military and financial support from Iran. However, its opponents accuse Tehran of repeatedly meddling in Lebanon’s internal affairs through statements made by senior officials and diplomats.