Yemen’s Chief of Staff Survives Assassination Attempt in Marib

Chief of Staff Sagher bin Aziz and Presidential Leadership Council member Sultan al-Arada meet in Marib. (26sepnews.net)
Chief of Staff Sagher bin Aziz and Presidential Leadership Council member Sultan al-Arada meet in Marib. (26sepnews.net)
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Yemen’s Chief of Staff Survives Assassination Attempt in Marib

Chief of Staff Sagher bin Aziz and Presidential Leadership Council member Sultan al-Arada meet in Marib. (26sepnews.net)
Chief of Staff Sagher bin Aziz and Presidential Leadership Council member Sultan al-Arada meet in Marib. (26sepnews.net)

Yemen’s Chief of Staff Sagher bin Aziz survived on Tuesday an assassination attempt in the Marib province.

Three of his companions were wounded when a booby-trapped vehicle exploded as his convoy was driving on the international highway in Marib city, said Yemeni military sources.

Observers believe that the Iran-backed Houthi militias were behind the attack, noting that security forces have arrested Houthi cells in Marib over the years.

The assassination attempt took place amid relative calm in the country in the past 18 months. The calm has been disrupted by the Houthis amassing forces to the Marib front and launching attacks in Taiz.

Defense Minister Mohsen Mohammed al-Daeri telephoned bin Aziz to “strongly condemn the cowardly attack” against him.

He hailed the national forces for defending the nation and confronting the terrorist Houthi militias, said the military media.

Daeri said the attack on bin Aziz was motivated by his national stances, brave leadership and stern approach in confronting the Houthis. He called for an investigation into the incident.

Bin Aziz was in Marib where he met with Presidential Leadership Council member Sultan al-Arada. They discussed the latest field and military developments.

Bin Aziz briefed Arada on the visits he carried out to the United States and Saudi Arabia and the talks he held there with military officials.



Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday called on major powers to “exert greater efforts to end the war in Palestine and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, an Iraqi government official urged the United States to “prevent any attacks on the country,” referring to potential Israeli strikes.
During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al-Sudani stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not escalate “to a level that threatens regional and global stability.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s appeal comes amid reports suggesting that Israel may launch strikes on Iraq in retaliation for attacks by Iraqi armed factions targeting Israeli positions.
The Iraqi government is striving to assert its exclusive authority over weapons and war-related decisions. However, armed factions affiliated with the Axis of Resistance openly claim responsibility for near-daily rocket attacks on Israel. This has provided Israel with a justification for potentially targeting Iraqi territory, especially after it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against six Iraqi factions and held Baghdad responsible for the attacks.
These factions have also openly declared their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The Iraqi government has been unable to take decisive action to halt the activities of these factions, which many believe could soon expose Iraq to an Israeli strike.
According to media reports, Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless the Iraqi government curtails attacks by Iranian-backed factions on Israel. The Times of Israel cited sources indicating that the United States has “exhausted all means of pressure on Israel” and urged Iraq to act swiftly to prevent such attacks.
Despite repeated assurances from the Iraqi government—including its recent adoption of 12 measures by the National Security Council to counter Israeli threats and complaints—the situation remains tense. These measures include monitoring Iraq’s western borders, preventing factions from launching attacks, and maintaining Iraq’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
On Wednesday, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, made a striking statement on the role of resistance factions in the war and their commitment to the Unity of Fronts doctrine frequently mentioned by Axis of Resistance groups.
In an interview published by the faction’s media arm, Al-Hamidawi said: “The continuity of the Unity of Fronts concept depends on what the Lebanese Hezbollah decides.”
Al-Hamidawi also emphasized that resistance factions are constantly coordinating internally and with external partners such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian resistance leaders.
“We aim to ensure that the Palestinian people are not left alone and that the Unity of Fronts remains intact,” he stated.
Fadi Al-Shammari, a political advisor to Sudani, reiterated that Israel’s threats “are not new,” citing the recent complaint filed by Israel with the UN Security Council as part of its pattern of issuing threats.
In media statements, Al-Shammari reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s long-standing position: “The decision of war and peace lies solely with the Iraqi government.”
He noted that the factions’ attacks are being launched from areas outside Iraq’s borders, specifically from Syria. However, he stressed that the Iraqi government is working through its security and military agencies to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external or internal parties.
Al-Shammari also called on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with Iraq, emphasizing the need to deter and respond to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.