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Yemeni Rial Plummets, Power Outages Increase in Aden

High temperatures grip Aden amidst ongoing power outages (AFP)
High temperatures grip Aden amidst ongoing power outages (AFP)
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Yemeni Rial Plummets, Power Outages Increase in Aden

High temperatures grip Aden amidst ongoing power outages (AFP)
High temperatures grip Aden amidst ongoing power outages (AFP)

With power outages in Aden, the interim capital of Yemen, reaching approximately 18 hours a day, the local currency has witnessed its highest decline since the formation of the Presidential Leadership Council.

The exchange rate of the US dollar has surged to 1,500 Yemeni rials compared to 1,200 rials last month.

According to workers at the electricity company, since Wednesday morning, power blackouts have increased to five hours compared to two hours of electricity due to the outage of the Petromasila station, which produces 90 megawatts of power for the province and the surrounding areas.

Workers at Petromasila attribute the reasons for the outage to the delay in the arrival of crude oil tankers from the province of Shabwah, which is used to operate the station.

They stated that disgruntled soldiers in Abyan province, who were experiencing delays in their salaries, halted the tankers before allowing them to pass on Tuesday evening.

The station will not resume operations until 36 hours have passed since its shutdown.

This will further exacerbate the suffering of the residents, as the temperature rises close to 40°C, accompanied by high humidity.

Moreover, this shortage comes just one day after reducing power outages to four hours, with two and a half hours of electricity, following the shutdown of several power stations due to the poor quality of fuel purchased from a trader, as reported by the workers.

A technical committee has been formed to re-examine the shipment, but the generators resumed operation after three days, and the results of the inspection are still unknown.

Government sources have indicated that the expiration of the fuel assistance provided by Saudi Arabia has significantly increased the burden on the government.

The government currently spends approximately $50 million per month to cover the operational costs of power production stations in Aden and to purchase a portion of the energy from privately-owned generators.

This comes amidst a severe financial crisis faced by the government, which is engaged in an economic war initiated by Houthi militias.

The crisis began with the obstruction of oil exports, followed by the imposition of restrictions on imports through ports under Houthi control, and the prevention of goods transfer from government-controlled areas.

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Arab World

Iraq Closes Sheeb Border Crossing with Iran to Check Security

Security personnel stand near the Shalamsheh border crossing between Iraq and Iran, after Iraqi authorities ordered its closure as a precautionary measure following the latest drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, in Basra, Iraq, September 12, 2026. (Reuters)
Security personnel stand near the Shalamsheh border crossing between Iraq and Iran, after Iraqi authorities ordered its closure as a precautionary measure following the latest drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, in Basra, Iraq, September 12, 2026. (Reuters)
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Iraq Closes Sheeb Border Crossing with Iran to Check Security

Security personnel stand near the Shalamsheh border crossing between Iraq and Iran, after Iraqi authorities ordered its closure as a precautionary measure following the latest drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, in Basra, Iraq, September 12, 2026. (Reuters)
Security personnel stand near the Shalamsheh border crossing between Iraq and Iran, after Iraqi authorities ordered its closure as a precautionary measure following the latest drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, in Basra, Iraq, September 12, 2026. (Reuters)

Iraq has closed the busy Sheeb border crossing with Iran to review security and install detection equipment to stop the smuggling of prohibited materials, ‌an Iraqi ‌border official said ‌on ⁠Wednesday.

Sheeb would be ⁠closed to passengers, vehicles and commercial trucks until further notice, two other sources at the crossing said.

Iraq ⁠ordered the closure ‌of ‌another crossing with Iran, Shalamsheh, ‌in September as a ‌precaution after drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, two security sources said at ‌the time. Riyadh said the drones had been ⁠launched ⁠from Iraq.

The current security measures at Sheeb are weak and inadequate, the Iraqi border crossings official told Reuters.

Arab World

Arab League Chief Condemns Israeli Attacks on South Lebanon, Urges Action

Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy listens to a Lebanese Army officer pointing out areas occupied by Israeli forces in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, South Lebanon, alongside Social Affairs Minister Haneen Sayed (AP). 
Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy listens to a Lebanese Army officer pointing out areas occupied by Israeli forces in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, South Lebanon, alongside Social Affairs Minister Haneen Sayed (AP). 
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Arab League Chief Condemns Israeli Attacks on South Lebanon, Urges Action

Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy listens to a Lebanese Army officer pointing out areas occupied by Israeli forces in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, South Lebanon, alongside Social Affairs Minister Haneen Sayed (AP). 
Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy listens to a Lebanese Army officer pointing out areas occupied by Israeli forces in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, South Lebanon, alongside Social Affairs Minister Haneen Sayed (AP). 

Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy condemned Israeli attacks on South Lebanon as “unacceptable,” calling for concrete Arab action to support the country, strengthen its army and help displaced residents return home.

Fahmy made the remarks during a visit to the southern city of Tyre, where he met senior Lebanese Army officers at the Benoit Barakat barracks, accompanied by Social Affairs Minister Haneen Sayed.

Fahmy said he had chosen Lebanon as one of his first foreign destinations since taking office to see firsthand the challenges facing its people.

His visit to the south, he explained, was meant to reassure residents that the Arab world and the international community recognized their suffering and were prepared to provide tangible support.

He pointed to a September resolution by the Arab League’s ministerial council that addressed Lebanon’s crisis and its underlying causes, particularly repeated Israeli attacks on civilians and infrastructure.

After touring the town of Zawtar and the city of Nabatieh, Fahmy described the destruction he witnessed as “distressing.”

He accused Israel of systematically demolishing residential areas, seizing land and seeking to displace civilians, potentially paving the way for further occupation.

Despite the devastation, he expressed confidence that Lebanese residents would remain attached to their land.

The Arab League was working with the Lebanese government to explore reconstruction efforts and ways to restore stability, he added.

While rebuilding would require action across several sectors, Fahmy stressed that Arab solidarity could not be limited to statements of condemnation.

“This is the beginning of a sustained process, not the end of the road,” he said, reaffirming the League’s commitment to Lebanon.

Army seeks support, post-UNIFIL arrangements

Brig. Gen. Nicolas Tabet, commander of the Lebanese Army’s South Litani Sector, welcomed the visit as a sign of Arab solidarity at a time of mounting security and humanitarian challenges.

He said Israeli attacks had left widespread destruction and displaced thousands of Lebanese, while continued occupation and security threats prevented families from returning safely to their villages.

The situation was also hampering the army’s deployment to the internationally recognized border.

Tabet called for Arab and international pressure to halt Israeli attacks, secure a full withdrawal from Lebanese territory and uphold the country’s sovereignty.

Despite difficult conditions and limited resources, the army remained committed to its duties, he said, urging the Arab League to mobilize diplomatic support, strengthen the military and help rebuild the south.

He also called for lasting security arrangements after the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ends.

Such arrangements, developed with the UN and international partners, would be essential to preventing a security vacuum and implementing Security Council Resolution 1701.

Describing Fahmy’s visit as a rare and welcome gesture, Tabet said it offered reassurance that Lebanon had not been left to face its challenges alone.

Arab World

End of UNIFIL Mission Impacts Hundreds of Jobs in South Lebanon

Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Major General Diodato Abagnara of the Italian Army reviews the troops at the UNIFIL base, near Mansouri, Southern Lebanon, September 19, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Major General Diodato Abagnara of the Italian Army reviews the troops at the UNIFIL base, near Mansouri, Southern Lebanon, September 19, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
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End of UNIFIL Mission Impacts Hundreds of Jobs in South Lebanon

Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Major General Diodato Abagnara of the Italian Army reviews the troops at the UNIFIL base, near Mansouri, Southern Lebanon, September 19, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Major General Diodato Abagnara of the Italian Army reviews the troops at the UNIFIL base, near Mansouri, Southern Lebanon, September 19, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

As UNIFIL’s mandate in Lebanon draws to a close, the implications of its withdrawal extend beyond military and security operations to the labor market in southern Lebanon, where the mission’s decades-long presence has sustained hundreds of jobs and supported local businesses that depend on its demand for goods and services.

As job cuts begin ahead of the withdrawal process, which is set to gather pace at the end of this year, concerns are mounting over the economic and social impact on employees and their families, as well as on small and medium-sized businesses that depend on spending generated by the international force’s presence.

400 Local Employees Work for UNIFIL

According to UNIFIL spokesperson Candice Ardell, the mission currently employs around 400 local staff, most of whom are based in southern Lebanon, while some positions are based in Beirut.

In comments to Asharq Al-Awsat, Ardell said local employees perform a wide range of duties, from the technical work required to support the mission to security, translation, media, political and civil affairs, among other functions.

Most of these positions are based in the south. Many employees live in the area, while others commute to work from elsewhere, she added.

Ardell denied that job cuts had begun as part of UNIFIL’s force reduction and withdrawal process, explaining that the process was expected to start after Dec. 31, 2026.

Families Depend on UNIFIL Salaries

In the border town of Rmeish, 85 families still have members employed directly by UNIFIL on a permanent basis, earning monthly salaries on which they and their families depend for their livelihoods.

Milad Alam, a former Rmeish mayor, told Asharq Al-Awsat in an earlier interview that around 250 other families also have members working for companies contracted by UNIFIL, adding that they, too, stand to lose their monthly sources of income.

Researcher Mohammad Shamseddine said the number of people employed by or contracted to UNIFIL had fallen significantly, noting that the current workforce was well below the roughly 1,200 employees it had previously numbered.

Annual Losses Estimated at $45 Million to $55 Million

Economist Jassem Ajaka warned that UNIFIL’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon would have economic and financial repercussions extending well beyond the south, affecting the Lebanese economy as a whole. The fallout would include reduced foreign currency inflows, job losses and weaker trade and investment, while placing additional pressure on the state treasury.

In comments to Asharq Al-Awsat, Ajaka said UNIFIL’s annual budget stood at about $553 million, estimating that the withdrawal would result in a direct loss of $45 million to $55 million a year in foreign currency inflows, as international forces cease spending locally on contracts with domestic suppliers, restaurants, shops and supply chains.

Ajaka estimated that UNIFIL’s withdrawal would eliminate $15 million to $22 million in annual wages for Lebanese staff, whose average net annual compensation ranges from $15,000 to $25,000.

He estimated that UNIFIL’s withdrawal would add $25 million to $40 million in annual costs for the Lebanese treasury, as the Lebanese army takes over expenses previously covered through cooperation with the international force, putting further pressure on public finances and potentially widening the primary budget deficit.

The economist concluded saying that the real estate sector would be among the hardest hit, particularly in Naqoura, Tyre, Marjayoun and Bint Jbeil. The termination of hundreds of rental contracts held by UNIFIL’s civilian and military personnel could result in annual losses of $10 million to $18 million. He also warned that commercial and residential property values in affected areas could fall by 25% to 45%.