Saudi Govt Hails Arab Coalition for Thwarting Houthi Attacks against Civilians

King Salman chairs a cabinet meeting. (SPA)
King Salman chairs a cabinet meeting. (SPA)
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Saudi Govt Hails Arab Coalition for Thwarting Houthi Attacks against Civilians

King Salman chairs a cabinet meeting. (SPA)
King Salman chairs a cabinet meeting. (SPA)

The Saudi cabinet hailed on Tuesday the efforts of the Saudi-led Arab coalition in confronting attempts by the terrorist Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen to attack civilians and civilian locations.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chaired the cabinet meeting that was held virtually amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The cabinet also hailed the coalition for neutralizing the Houthis' hostile capabilities while respecting international humanitarian law.

The cabinet thanked God for the bestowed blessings of security and stability on Saudi Arabia and the programs and projects included in the State General Budget for the 2022 fiscal year. The programs and projects aim to increase human development and continue economic growth and diversification. They seek to achieve financial sustainability and place further attention to the security and health of citizens and residents. They also demonstrate the determination to continue implementing economic initiatives and reforms to realize the targets of Saudi Vision 2030.

The ministers stressed the keenness on preserving and boosting the Kingdom’s gains, as well as continuing working with all resources and capabilities to achieve the goals and aspirations of citizens regarding continuous improvement in the quality of life, development of facilities and services, the educational environment, support for housing plans, increased investment and employment opportunities, and optimal utilization of available resources, in addition to raising the level of transparency and efficiency of government expenditure in order to promote growth and development rates.

The cabinet addressed the outcomes of the official visits of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the talks with the leaders of Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. It praised the outcomes of the visits and the concluded agreements and initiatives.

The cabinet also commended the outcomes of 42nd Session of GCC Supreme Council, which was held in Riyadh, to boost Gulf action and push it towards wider horizons, in addition to support cooperation, interdependence, integration and coordination in all fields, in a manner that achieves the aspirations of the citizens of the GCC as well as the unity of ranks among its members, and consolidates security, stability and prosperity for the region and its peoples.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Acting Minister of Media Dr. Majid al-Qasabi said the cabinet reviewed the outcomes of the meetings of the Follow-up and Political Consultation Committee between Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Both sides were in agreement over a number of issues and crises facing the region and the world. The two countries agreed to continue their efforts to support the security and stability of the peoples of the region, stressing the importance of joint Arab action and rejecting any attempts by regional parties to interfere in the affairs of Arab countries.

The cabinet reviewed the latest regional and international developments, reiterating the Kingdom's permanent position on supporting the Yemeni government, Saudi Arabia's keenness to realize security, stability and development for the Yemeni people, and pushing all efforts to reach a political solution based on the Gulf Initiative and its executive mechanism, outcomes of the Comprehensive National Dialogue Conference, and UN Security Council Resolution 2216.

The cabinet highlighted Saudi Arabia’s humanitarian work across the globe, in light of its operation of an airlift and land bridge to Afghanistan. The cabinet underlined the Kingdom's speech at the Extraordinary Meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, as it called on the countries of the world and international organizations to meet the humanitarian needs and sustainable aid for Afghanistan and its people.



Saudi Defense Minister: Time for STC to Withdraw from Yemen's Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Defense Minister: Time for STC to Withdraw from Yemen's Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman said on Saturday it “was time for the Southern Transitional Council in Yemen to listen to reason and prioritize public interest and unity of ranks and respond to the Saudi-Emirati mediation to end the escalation.”

In a post on the X platform, he called on the STC to withdraw its forces from the eastern Hadhramaut and al-Mahra provinces and restore control to the National Shield and local authorities.

Prince Khalid said Saudi Arabia formed the Arab coalition to restore legitimacy in Yemen to help the country reclaim control over all of its territories.

The liberation of southern provinces was a pivotal development towards that goal, he stressed.

Saudi Arabia “views the southern issue as fundamental” to Yemen and it will not “exploit it in conflicts that do not serve” the nation, he added.

The Kingdom had brought together all Yemeni components to the Riyadh conference to come up with a clear path for a comprehensive political solution, including the southern issue, he went on to say.

The conference paved the way for a “just solution to their cause through dialogue and without the use of forces.”

“Saudi Arabia approved the decision to move the base of power so that the southerners could have a greater role in state institutions. It consolidated partnership instead of elimination or imposing a status quo through forces. Saudi Arabia also presented Yemen with economic support, as well as development and humanitarian initiatives that helped ease the suffering of the people,” Prince Khalid added.

“Saudi Arabia and its partners in the coalition offered sacrifices with their Yemeni brothers in liberating Aden and other provinces,” he noted. “The Kingdom has always sought that these sacrifices be made in the name of reclaiming territories and restoring the state, not as a path towards new conflicts.”

It had hoped that these sacrifices would have been “invested in the security of all Yemeni people, not exploited for petty gains, whereby the unfortunate developments in Hadhramaut and al-Mahra since the beginning of December 2025 have led to the division in ranks that should be united against the enemy.”

“The developments have laid waste to the sacrifices of our sons and Yemeni people and have harmed the just southern issue,” stressed Prince Khalid.

He noted that several southern leaderships and figures have exhibited “awareness and wisdom in supporting efforts to end the escalation in Hadhramaut and al-Mahra and prevent the secure southern provinces from being dragged into futile conflicts.”

“They are aware of the major challenges facing Yemen and will not allow saboteurs to achieve their goals in the country and the region,” he remarked.

He declared that the “southern issue will remain part of any comprehensive political solution. The cause will not be neglected or marginalized. It should be resolved through consensus, adhering to commitments and building trust between all Yemeni segments, not through adventures that only serve everyone's enemy.”


Arab Coalition: We Will Deal with Military Moves that Violate De-escalation Efforts

Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Malki. (SPA)
Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Malki. (SPA)
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Arab Coalition: We Will Deal with Military Moves that Violate De-escalation Efforts

Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Malki. (SPA)
Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Malki. (SPA)

Spokesman of the Arab coalition to support legitimacy in Yemen Brigadier General Turki al-Malki said on Saturday that “any military moves that violate de-escalation efforts will be dealt with directly to protect lives and ensure the success of Saudi and Emirati efforts.”

The statement is in response to a request by Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Dr. Rashad al-Alimi, who called for immediate steps to protect civilians in the eastern Hadhramaut and al-Mahra provinces in wake of the “grave and horrific” violations by members of the Southern Transitional Council (STC).

It is also in continuation of the strenuous joint efforts by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to de-escalate the situation and ensure the withdrawal of STC forces, who have been demanded to cede control to the National Shield forces and allow the local authorities to carry out their duties.

Malki underlined the Arab coalition’s continued firm support for the legitimate Yemeni government.

He also urged all sides to assume their national responsibility, exercise restraint and comply with efforts to reach peaceful solutions that preserve security and stability.


Saudi Arabia Carries out Warning Strike on Yemen’s Hadhramaut, STC Says ‘Open to Coordination’

Southern forces patrol during a rally calling for South Yemen's independence, in the southern port city of Aden, Yemen, 25 December 2025. (EPA)
Southern forces patrol during a rally calling for South Yemen's independence, in the southern port city of Aden, Yemen, 25 December 2025. (EPA)
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Saudi Arabia Carries out Warning Strike on Yemen’s Hadhramaut, STC Says ‘Open to Coordination’

Southern forces patrol during a rally calling for South Yemen's independence, in the southern port city of Aden, Yemen, 25 December 2025. (EPA)
Southern forces patrol during a rally calling for South Yemen's independence, in the southern port city of Aden, Yemen, 25 December 2025. (EPA)

Saudi Arabia called for calm in eastern Yemen, urging an end to unilateral military moves and for the Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces to return to their former positions outside of the Hadhramaut and al-Mahra provinces.

Riyadh, meanwhile, demonstrated its stance on the ground by carrying out a warning air strike, informed sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The strike sought to deliver a message that it will not allow a new status quo to be imposed on the ground by force and that it will not allow the violation of institutional frameworks that handle security in the eastern provinces.

It warned that any further escalation will be met with firmer measures.

Meanwhile, the STC, in an attempt to justify its military moves, said they were in “response to calls from residents of the south” and an attempt to confront terrorist threats and block Houthi smuggling routes.

The STC added that it was “open to any coordination or arrangements with Saudi Arabia”, questioning the airstrike, which it said “does not serve understandings.”

Observers told Asharq Al-Awsat that Saudi Arabia will welcome the coordination and arrangements if they helped end the escalation, led to the withdrawal of the STC and allowed the National Shield forces and the local authority to take over Hadhramaut and al-Mahra without needing to resort to force.

They stressed that the strike will lead to delivering the clear message that Riyadh may impose red lines by force to prevent any escalation.

Sourced told Asharq Al-Awsat that any future settlement over restoring the unity of Yemeni ranks will condition a return to the former status quo.