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Yemen’s PLC Rejects Houthi Blackmail, Calls for ‘Firm’ Int’l Pressure on Militias

PLC deputy head Aidarous al-Zubaidi meets with Charge d’Affaires of the Indian Embassy in Yemen Ram Prasad in Riyadh on Monday. (Saba)
PLC deputy head Aidarous al-Zubaidi meets with Charge d’Affaires of the Indian Embassy in Yemen Ram Prasad in Riyadh on Monday. (Saba)
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Yemen’s PLC Rejects Houthi Blackmail, Calls for ‘Firm’ Int’l Pressure on Militias

PLC deputy head Aidarous al-Zubaidi meets with Charge d’Affaires of the Indian Embassy in Yemen Ram Prasad in Riyadh on Monday. (Saba)
PLC deputy head Aidarous al-Zubaidi meets with Charge d’Affaires of the Indian Embassy in Yemen Ram Prasad in Riyadh on Monday. (Saba)

Members of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) reiterated on Monday their rejection of the Iran-backed Houthi militias’ attempted political blackmail, calling on the international community to pressure them to accept peace.

According to official sources, PLC deputy head Aidarous al-Zubaidi discussed on Monday with Charge d’Affaires of the Indian Embassy in Yemen Ram Prasad the renewed military escalation and the militias’ intransigence and rejection of all international efforts to extend the ceasefire, which expired on October 2.

Zubaidi warned that the militias are dragging the country towards the abyss due to their intransigence and insistence on continuing the war against the Yemeni people strictly in pursuit of Iran’s agenda, he was reported as saying by the state news agency Saba.

Meanwhile, official sources said PLC member Othman Megali met in Riyadh on Monday with the Chargé d'Affaires of the Japanese embassy to discuss the developments in Yemen.

He said the Houthis are pursuing a foreign agenda and are “delusional in believing that military escalation and the rejection of the truce will yield gains through shedding the blood of the Yemeni people”.

“We reject this hostile behavior and refuse to succumb to pressure and blackmail,” he vowed.

“We will not accept any Houthi conditions and dictates that keep Yemen hostage to a militia that has rebelled against the state and international resolutions,” he stressed.

He called on the international community to “firmly” deal with the “terrorist” Houthis.

Moreover, Megali said the ceasefire “is non-existent on the ground”, accusing the militias of committing thousands of violations and pursuing military escalation.

“Everything the Houthis do is ordered by Iran and the weapons they brandish to terrorize the Yemenis are made by Iran,” he said, adding that the militias are trained on using the arms by experts from the Iran-backed Hezbollah party and Iran.

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Arab World

Chad Govt Shuts Sudan Border Until Further Notice 

Children poke their heads and arms through holes in makeshift fabric fences in the strategic opposition-controlled town of Akobo, Jonglei State, on February 12, 2026. (AFP)
Children poke their heads and arms through holes in makeshift fabric fences in the strategic opposition-controlled town of Akobo, Jonglei State, on February 12, 2026. (AFP)
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Chad Govt Shuts Sudan Border Until Further Notice 

Children poke their heads and arms through holes in makeshift fabric fences in the strategic opposition-controlled town of Akobo, Jonglei State, on February 12, 2026. (AFP)
Children poke their heads and arms through holes in makeshift fabric fences in the strategic opposition-controlled town of Akobo, Jonglei State, on February 12, 2026. (AFP)

Chad's government said on Monday it was closing the border with Sudan until further notice, following several clashes between Chadian soldiers and armed groups involved in the civil war across the frontier.

"This decision follows repeated incursions and violations committed by the forces involved in the conflict in Sudan on Chadian territory," Communications Minister Mahamat Gassim Cherif said in a statement, adding that he wanted to halt "any risk of the conflict spreading" to his country.

Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been fighting government troops for almost three years in a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people and forced 11 million to flee their homes, triggering what the UN says is one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

The paramilitaries have conducted several operations near the Chad border and at least nine Chadian soldiers have been killed in separate incidents since December.

Monday's statement said Chad "reserves the right to retaliate against any aggression or violation of the inviolability of its territory and its borders".

"Cross-border movements of goods and people are suspended," the text said, adding that "exceptional exemptions" for humanitarian reasons would still be possible.

Arab World

Report: US Forces to Complete Withdrawal from Syria within a Month 

Men watch as a US military mine-resistant ambush protected (MRAP) armored fighting vehicle moves in a convoy along a highway outside Qamishli in Syria's northeastern Hasakah province on February 23, 2026. (AFP)
Men watch as a US military mine-resistant ambush protected (MRAP) armored fighting vehicle moves in a convoy along a highway outside Qamishli in Syria's northeastern Hasakah province on February 23, 2026. (AFP)
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Report: US Forces to Complete Withdrawal from Syria within a Month 

Men watch as a US military mine-resistant ambush protected (MRAP) armored fighting vehicle moves in a convoy along a highway outside Qamishli in Syria's northeastern Hasakah province on February 23, 2026. (AFP)
Men watch as a US military mine-resistant ambush protected (MRAP) armored fighting vehicle moves in a convoy along a highway outside Qamishli in Syria's northeastern Hasakah province on February 23, 2026. (AFP)

US forces that led the anti-ISIS coalition in Syria will complete their withdrawal from the country within a month, three sources told AFP on Monday.

"Within a month, they will have withdrawn from Syria and there will no longer be any military presence in the bases," a Syrian government official said, with a Kurdish source confirming the development.

A third source, a diplomat, said the withdrawal should be completed within 20 days.

The United States began withdrawing on Monday from a major base in a northeastern region still under the control of Kurdish forces.

Arab World

Israeli Team in Peace Council Reveals Vision for Gaza Reconstruction

A female member of the al-Ghafir family, sits of the debris of the al-Hasayna Mosque as she recites from a copy of the Quran, during the holy month of Ramadan in western Gaza City on February 21, 2026. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
A female member of the al-Ghafir family, sits of the debris of the al-Hasayna Mosque as she recites from a copy of the Quran, during the holy month of Ramadan in western Gaza City on February 21, 2026. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
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Israeli Team in Peace Council Reveals Vision for Gaza Reconstruction

A female member of the al-Ghafir family, sits of the debris of the al-Hasayna Mosque as she recites from a copy of the Quran, during the holy month of Ramadan in western Gaza City on February 21, 2026. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
A female member of the al-Ghafir family, sits of the debris of the al-Hasayna Mosque as she recites from a copy of the Quran, during the holy month of Ramadan in western Gaza City on February 21, 2026. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)

While many observers remain skeptical about the chances of success for President Donald Trump’s comprehensive Middle East peace plan, figures close to the US administration are projecting confidence. Among them are three Israelis selected for key roles in the project, though they do not formally represent the Israeli government.

According to a report in Yedioth Ahronoth, the officials insist the initiative is already underway, with Egypt, Türkiye and Qatar playing influential roles in persuading Hamas to cooperate. Despite skepticism within parts of Israel’s political and military leadership regarding the feasibility of the plan — and the ability of Trump advisers Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to implement it — the Peace Council members argue that progress so far is “encouraging.”

The Israeli members of the council are Israeli-Cypriot businessman Yakir Gabay, high-tech entrepreneur Liran Tancman, and Michael Eisenberg, who serves as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s representative at the US coordination headquarters in Kiryat Gat.

They contend that Hamas’ agreement to disarm, coupled with reforms to Palestinian school curricula to promote “a culture of peace and tolerance,” would transform Trump’s initiative into “a historic opportunity to turn Gaza into a true Riviera.”

Gabay outlined the first phase: removing 70 million tons of rubble and unexploded ordnance, recycling usable materials, demolishing and sealing hundreds of kilometers of tunnels, and establishing rapid temporary housing in reinforced tents. Parallel efforts would focus on building infrastructure and permanent residential towers.

Plans also include modern hospitals, schools, factories, agricultural zones, road and rail networks, energy and water facilities, data centers, a seaport and an airport. Contractors experienced in constructing millions of housing units across the Middle East would be recruited, with funding reportedly secured. Hundreds of thousands of jobs are expected to be created. In addition to housing and workplaces, 200 hotels are planned.

Tancman, who advises Israel’s national cyber directorate, pledged to introduce advanced technological solutions in cooperation with American, Arab and Palestinian partners. This includes upgrading Gaza’s internet network from 2G to 5G and making access free of charge. Mechanisms for exporting Gaza-made goods are also under development.

A “New Era”?

Officials told Yedioth Ahronoth that reconstruction has effectively begun in Rafah and is expected to take three years. Israel is currently clearing debris, with 100,000 homes slated for construction in the first phase to house 500,000 residents. Infrastructure alone is projected to cost $5 billion. Ultimately, 400,000 homes are planned, with total infrastructure costs estimated at $30 billion, alongside a similar sum for construction.

A senior Peace Council member suggested that if Hamas responds positively, Israel could consider measures such as amnesty for its leaders or even purchasing weapons for cash. “Gaza and its people could enter a new era—connected and open to the world,” he said.

Separately, The Times of Israel cited a US official confirming that funds would not flow before Hamas agrees to disarm, adding that Israel must also act constructively.

An Arab diplomat cautioned that sustained pressure on both sides would be essential to ensure the plan’s success and the establishment of a technocratic administration in Gaza.