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Yemen Legitimate Govt Welcomes US Decision to Train Yemeni Forces

Houthi fighters ride on the back of a patrol truck (Reuters)
Houthi fighters ride on the back of a patrol truck (Reuters)
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Yemen Legitimate Govt Welcomes US Decision to Train Yemeni Forces

Houthi fighters ride on the back of a patrol truck (Reuters)
Houthi fighters ride on the back of a patrol truck (Reuters)

The United States revealed plans to assist the Yemeni government with military experts, including officers who train Yemeni forces and help build the army's capabilities while continuing to combat terrorism and child recruitment and prevent weapons from reaching the Houthis.

The State Department's "2021 Trafficking in Persons" report stated that Washington would use the International Military Education and Training (IMET) funding to build capacity within the Republic of Yemen Government (ROYG) military by sending selected military officers for the US for non-technical training.

These courses would focus on the professionalization of military forces and would bolster the rule of law within the Yemeni Armed Forces.

This step represents a significant turning point in the US approach in tackling the Yemeni crisis, as the Biden administration has engaged in efforts to end the Yemeni war. It also appointed special envoy Tim Lenderking to support the UN envoy's efforts to end the crisis and reach a political solution.

The report confirmed that this training would support US efforts to prevent the recruitment of child soldiers, stressing that support and cooperation can only be with the army of the internationally recognized Yemeni government.

The Department of Defense (DoD) intends to use its authority under 10 USC 333 to re-engage with and build the capacity of the Yemeni Armed Forces – the military of the recognized government of Yemen.

The report notes that these efforts support US national interests in fighting terrorism, countering violent extremist organizations and illicit smuggling, and ensuring freedom of navigation through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

"Critically, this focused support would increase Yemeni capacity to counter malign Iranian activity, including the smuggling of lethal weapons that are contributing to the continuation of the conflict."

The report noted that this "carefully calibrated support" would be provided to the Yemen Border Guard, Yemen Coast Guard, and Yemen Special Operations Forces units not directly engaged in the current conflict but rather involved in efforts against malign third party influences contributing to the ongoing conflict and crisis.

President Joe Biden determined that it is in the national interest of the US to waive in part the application of the prohibition in section 404(a) of the Child Soldier Prevention Act (CSPA) to allow for the provision of peacekeeping operations (PKO), IMET, and has certified that the government of Yemen is taking effective and continuing steps to address the problem of child soldiers.

It is in the US national interest to support efforts to bring about a negotiated political settlement led by the Office of the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Yemen, noted the report.

"A critical element of ending the conflict in Yemen is our counterterrorism campaign and efforts to counter Iranian arms smuggling to the Houthis. […] enhancing homeland security, while simultaneously moving toward the goal of ending the war in Yemen."

The Department of State assesses that an end to the conflict will be critical in ending the further deterioration of socio-economic and security conditions, ensuring long-term stability, and securing the space for restoring effective governance institutions capable of partnering with the United States and the international community in combating terrorism.

PKO funding may be used to support UN Special Envoy efforts, including the participation of Yemen's military leadership, to reach an agreement to end the Yemeni conflict and allow for the resumption of a peaceful, inclusive, and Yemeni-led political transition.

Meanwhile, Yemeni Vice President Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar announced the government's support of Washington's decision.

Ahmar welcomed this step, stressing that the support will help build the capabilities of the Yemeni military forces in combating terrorism, extremism, illicit smuggling, and ensuring freedom of navigation.

"These decisions will have a positive impact in countering the malign Iranian activity," he said in a statement on his Twitter account.

The United States affirmed its dissatisfaction with the Houthis intransigence and their lack of commitment to the initiatives seeking a ceasefire, calling for the implementation of a nationwide ceasefire and initiating inclusive political talks to establish peace and end the crisis.

In a recent press conference, Department spokesperson Ned Price announced that Washington was beyond fed up with Houthi attacks, stressing: "We are horrified by the repeated attacks on Marib."

"We strongly condemn the Houthi missile attack on a residential neighborhood in Marib on June 29th. It took civilian lives, including the life of a child. "

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Arab World

Iraq’s Top Judge in Damascus to Discuss ISIS Detainees, Judicial Cooperation

Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council President Judge Faiq Zidan and his accompanying delegation at Tishreen Palace in Damascus, with Syrian Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais in attendance. (SANA/Justice Ministry)
Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council President Judge Faiq Zidan and his accompanying delegation at Tishreen Palace in Damascus, with Syrian Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais in attendance. (SANA/Justice Ministry)
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Iraq’s Top Judge in Damascus to Discuss ISIS Detainees, Judicial Cooperation

Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council President Judge Faiq Zidan and his accompanying delegation at Tishreen Palace in Damascus, with Syrian Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais in attendance. (SANA/Justice Ministry)
Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council President Judge Faiq Zidan and his accompanying delegation at Tishreen Palace in Damascus, with Syrian Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais in attendance. (SANA/Justice Ministry)

Syrian Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais met Faiq Zidan, head of Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council, in Damascus on Thursday for talks aimed at deepening judicial cooperation, and the fate of Syrian detainees transferred to Iraq high on the agenda.

The Iraqi News Agency (INA) said Zidan arrived in the Syrian capital to discuss several issues of mutual concern, foremost among them ISIS detainees transferred to Iraqi prisons.

Al-Wais and Mohammad Taha al-Ahmad, adviser for Arab affairs at Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, received Zidan.

Judge Laith Jabr, head of Iraq’s Judicial Supervision Authority, said the visit opened broad prospects for judicial and legal cooperation between the two countries and included talks on detainees transferred from al-Hol camp.

Jabr told INA the Iraqi delegation, headed by Zidan, visited Damascus at the Syrian justice minister’s invitation to discuss a range of shared judicial issues.

He said the talks focused on Syrian detainees handed over to Iraq from al-Hol and their legal status, adding that Iraqi authorities had carried out judicial investigations and provided the detainees with all legal guarantees required under Iraqi law.

The two sides agreed to form joint judicial committees that would meet regularly to resolve issues linked to the detainees’ trials, Jabr said.

The meetings also covered stronger judicial coordination, expanded exchanges of information and expertise, and preparations for future memorandums of understanding between the two countries.

Sources following the visit said Zidan was expected to meet Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and hold separate talks with the justice and foreign ministers and other Syrian officials.

The discussions were expected to cover ISIS members detained in Iraq, transitional justice, anti-corruption efforts and greater transparency.

Informed sources also said Iraq and Syria were close to signing a joint agreement to regulate the transfer and prosecution of Syrian detainees held by Iraqi authorities.

Al-Wais said Syria hoped the progress already made in economic and security relations would help drive closer judicial and legal coordination and strengthen ties between the two countries’ justice institutions.

Syria’s state news agency SANA quoted him as saying Damascus was committed to balanced and positive relations with its neighbors based on mutual respect and shared interests.

He said Syria’s historical ties and mutual interests with Iraq gave both countries stronger reason to expand bilateral cooperation.

Al-Wais said Syria was entering a new phase focused on building a state based on the rule of law and institutions, while strengthening national unity and justice.

He said the Justice Ministry was pursuing a broad judicial reform program to bolster judicial independence and integrity, improve judges’ efficiency, speed up the delivery of justice and simplify procedures for citizens.

Zidan, in turn, pointed to the historic and fraternal ties between Iraq and Syria and said Iraq’s judiciary was seeking new avenues of cooperation to improve judicial work and reinforce the rule of law in both countries.

He called for stronger coordination between justice institutions and greater exchanges of expertise, saying regional stability and justice required close judicial cooperation and partnership.

Iraqi and Syrian sources also said preparations were under way for a possible visit by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to Damascus for talks with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Asharq Al-Awsat reported on Sunday, citing sources in Baghdad, that Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani’s recent visit to Damascus had helped ease mutual concerns in Baghdad and Damascus over bilateral relations and several unresolved political and security issues.

The sources said Barzani carried messages between al-Zaidi and al-Sharaa and helped pave the way for a possible visit by the Iraqi prime minister to Damascus.

 

Arab World

Israel Rejects Lebanon Withdrawal, Presses on With Destruction in South

Rubble of homes in the town of Mayfadoun, with traces of a large explosion that struck in southern Lebanon seen in the background (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Rubble of homes in the town of Mayfadoun, with traces of a large explosion that struck in southern Lebanon seen in the background (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Israel Rejects Lebanon Withdrawal, Presses on With Destruction in South

Rubble of homes in the town of Mayfadoun, with traces of a large explosion that struck in southern Lebanon seen in the background (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Rubble of homes in the town of Mayfadoun, with traces of a large explosion that struck in southern Lebanon seen in the background (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Israel has hardened its stance against Lebanese demands for a withdrawal, insisting it will remain in a “security zone” it has carved out inside Lebanon covering about 700 square kilometers.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz summed up the policy bluntly: “We destroy there and build here,” referring to Lebanon and Israel.

The position poses a major challenge to Lebanon and to US-led mediation aimed at securing an Israeli withdrawal and placing all weapons across Lebanese territory exclusively under state control.

US General Joseph Clearfield, head of the Military Coordination Group for Lebanon (MCG4L), is visiting Tel Aviv with Lebanese proposals for a mechanism to inspect designated pilot zones and plans to expand them.

He is due back on Friday to discuss with the Lebanese army the proposed arrangements and missions for implementing the “framework agreement.”

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam discussed developments in the south, particularly continued Israeli attacks and the destruction and demolition of homes and property in several villages and towns.

They also discussed Clearfield’s visit and reviewed items on the cabinet meeting agenda, the Lebanese presidency said.

Three-pronged destruction plan

Israel is pressing ahead in the border area with a three-pronged destruction campaign: bulldozing homes and civilian structures, burning buildings still standing, and blowing up tunnels, homes and other civilian facilities.

Security sources in southern Lebanon told Asharq Al-Awsat that what Lebanese observers could see in the occupied area was “the destruction of all urban infrastructure and the obliteration of the manifestations of life.”

They said Israel was also building military positions and raising mounds over the ruins of homes and villages.

The work was advancing “at a rapid pace,” the sources said, with explosions intensifying over the past two weeks alongside military measures, deployments across towns along the Yellow Line and incursions toward nearby villages.

Ministerial sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the most dangerous Israeli action in the south was the reshaping of border towns and villages.

The villages no longer resemble what they once were, the sources said, citing changes to the geography of towns and neighborhoods, the opening of new roads and the razing of homes and orchards.

Some villages had not originally been fully surveyed topographically, they added, deepening the impact of the changes underway.

Salam on Wednesday condemned the Israeli bulldozing and demolitions.

“Attempts to justify the razing and destruction on the grounds that military facilities are being targeted are contradicted by the nature of what is actually being struck on the ground,” he said.

“Lebanon’s sovereignty, the security of its people and the right of southerners to return to their land and rebuild their villages are not matters open to compromise.”

After the post was published, Salam’s account on X was hacked and the statement deleted. He later reposted it.

Bulldozing reaches Bani Hayyan

After carrying out hundreds of explosions and bulldozing operations in the border area, the Israeli army on Thursday began razing homes in Bani Hayyan, about 10 kilometers from the border.

The move came two days after a large explosion in the town and marked the first incursion by Israeli bulldozers there.

Local media reported Israeli sweeping operations in Bani Hayyan alongside shelling and the burning of several homes. Israeli military vehicles were also seen moving around the town.

An Israeli infantry force was also reported moving between Aita al-Jabal and Beit Yahoun in the Bint Jbeil district.

Systematic destruction

The repeated explosions and bulldozing point to a systematic Israeli strategy of destruction, one Katz described openly on Thursday after touring southern Lebanon a day earlier and highlighting the scale of the damage caused by Israeli forces.

He said he had seen “the homes of dozens of villages, the Lebanese border villages, that were destroyed, demolished and turned into ruins,” claiming they had been “Hezbollah positions in every sense of the word.”

“Here we build, and there is ruin,” Katz said, adding that Israel had “removed once and for all” the threat he said those areas had posed.

Katz said the Israeli army now controls about 700 square kilometers of what Israel calls a “security zone” inside Lebanon, stretching “from the sea area in the west to al-Shaqif and the outskirts of the summit of Mount Hermon in the east.”

He described the area as “empty of residents” and said Israeli troops were deployed there while what he called Hezbollah infrastructure above and below ground was being destroyed.

Long-term occupation

Katz said Israel would not withdraw from the territory it occupies in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah was disarmed and what he called its “threat” eliminated across the country.

He said he had ordered the military to prepare for a “long-term presence” there.

“This position is clear and we stand behind it, the prime minister and I, whether in direct talks with the US leadership or in practice and everywhere,” Katz said.

He said he had instructed the army “to prepare for a prolonged presence in the area in order to protect the fighting forces and the communities until this goal is fully achieved.”

“We promised the residents of the north security, and that is exactly what we have done and what we will do,” he added.

Katz also said on Thursday that Israel’s position on remaining in Lebanon had been raised “in direct talks with the US leadership,” underscoring the continuing dispute over how the framework agreement should be interpreted and the conditions for withdrawal.

A senior US State Department official had said that “a permanent Israeli military presence in southern Lebanon is inconsistent with the commitments made under the framework agreement and is not compatible with long-term peace and security for both countries.”

The official said Washington remained committed to the agreed path for the gradual redeployment of Israeli forces, alongside steps to verify Hezbollah’s disarmament and the destruction of its military infrastructure.

Arab World

Yemeni Forces Repel Houthi Attacks on Multiple Fronts

Yemeni Forces repel Houthi attacks on several fronts - Military Media
Yemeni Forces repel Houthi attacks on several fronts - Military Media
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Yemeni Forces Repel Houthi Attacks on Multiple Fronts

Yemeni Forces repel Houthi attacks on several fronts - Military Media
Yemeni Forces repel Houthi attacks on several fronts - Military Media

The Iran-backed Houthi group has intensified attacks across several fronts in Yemen, striking civilian areas and facilities in Taiz as government forces said they had repelled assaults and infiltration attempts in Taiz, Shabwa and Dhale and inflicted losses on the group.

Military and local sources said the Houthis had attacked military positions and civilian areas in several locations in recent hours, pointing to a widening of fighting across multiple fronts.

In the southwestern province of Taiz, Houthi mortar fire struck a mosque and a school in Maqsab village in the al-Atqa area of Mawza district, damaging both buildings but causing no casualties, local sources said.

The attack on the mosque came hours after the Houthis shelled al-Jeel al-Jadeed school in the same area.

The sources said the strikes were part of continuing Houthi attacks on places of worship, schools, civilian facilities and residential neighborhoods in the province.

On the northeastern front of Taiz city, the Houthis shelled government positions at Tabbat al-Wakeel and Tabbat al-Mawshki with medium weapons and projectiles, causing no casualties among the troops, a military source was quoted by Yemen’s Saba news agency as saying.

Government forces returned fire on Houthi positions near the Sofitel and International Hospital sites, silencing the sources of fire as clashes continued.

Fighting spreads across fronts

Clashes also spread to the Hayfan front southeast of Taiz, where the two sides fought in Ayrim, al-Mafalis, Tabbat Saeed Taha, al-Abliya and al-Manzara with light, medium and heavy weapons.

Local and military sources said government forces repelled a Houthi attack and forced the fighters to retreat, while continuing to target their firing positions. The forces said they remained ready for further attacks.

In Shabwa province, government troops thwarted Houthi attacks and infiltration attempts on fronts in Harib, Ain, Bayhan and Upper Markha districts.

A military source said forces deployed in the province foiled the infiltration attempts and inflicted losses in personnel and equipment. Government drones then struck Houthi positions and reinforcements in response, the source said.

In Dhale province, artillery fire hit Houthi gatherings and reinforcements near al-Fakher market west of Qataba as the fighters prepared to attack government positions, killing or wounding a number of them. Drone strikes also targeted the reinforcements.

Houthi media report 84 dead in a week

Houthi media acknowledged the deaths of 84 fighters over roughly a week, including 28 field commanders, in an indication of the scale of the group’s reported losses.

The toll included 47 fighters whose funerals were held over two days, among them 14 officers.

Forty of those reported killed were from Sanaa province, while others came from Dhamar, Amran, Hajjah, Saada, Mahwit and Ibb.

The figures announced by Houthi media suggest the losses extended into the group’s field command and were spread across several areas under its control.

The escalation comes as Rashad al-Alimi, Chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, said the state’s position toward the Houthis had changed and that any attack by the group would face a coordinated response and deterrence.

Al-Alimi said the armed forces were now operating through a single operations room and were better prepared to protect civilians, facilities and national institutions.

He said the state’s strategic goal was to restore its institutions and end the coup.

Al-Alimi said the government’s experience over recent years had shown that the Houthis used truces to rebuild their military capabilities and prepare for renewed fighting.

The government, he said, did not want another truce that repeated previous experiences, but a lasting peace based on a state that held sole authority over arms and sovereignty.

He said Houthi attacks on oil facilities and international shipping, along with threats to regional security, had helped shift international perceptions of the group.

The international question, in his view, was increasingly how to protect the Yemeni state, waterways and international peace and security rather than merely how to accommodate the Houthis.

Al-Alimi said the most significant military development was the growing unity and coordination among the fronts, citing simultaneous activity in Marib, Taiz, Shabwa, Dhale, Lahj, Hajjah, Saada and elsewhere.

He urged Yemen’s armed forces to protect civilians and respect the law, saying the strength of the state rested not only on weapons but also on the values and institutions it sought to restore.

Addressing the Houthis, Al-Alimi said the group still had an opportunity to lay down its weapons, enter political life and compete through the ballot box.

Yemen, he said, had room for everyone under the authority of the state and the law.