Alimi Warns Against Houthi Escalation, Says it Sabotages Peace Efforts

The President of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, chaired the meeting with the ambassadors (Saba)
The President of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, chaired the meeting with the ambassadors (Saba)
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Alimi Warns Against Houthi Escalation, Says it Sabotages Peace Efforts

The President of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, chaired the meeting with the ambassadors (Saba)
The President of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, chaired the meeting with the ambassadors (Saba)

The President of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), Rashad al-Alimi, warned that the Houthi terrorist attacks on oil export ports and vital economic structures would undermine peace efforts, stressing that the legitimate government reserves the right to respond to these attacks.

Alimi and council member Faraj al-Bahssani met with the Ambassador of the Permanent Members of the Security Council and the European Countries to Yemen.

The Iranian-backed Houthi militia had launched attacks on oil export ports in Hadhramaut and Shabwa to prevent oil export and blackmail the Yemeni government into sharing oil sales revenues.

The militias refused to extend and expand the truce, according to the proposal of the UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg.

The state-run Saba news agency reported that Alimi praised the unified international position on the Yemeni issue, stressing the Council's and the government's adherence to a comprehensive solution to the crisis under national, regional, and international references.

The Chairman recalled to the ambassadors how the militias violated all peace efforts and the ceasefire, revealing to the whole world they were not a serious peace partner.

Alimi praised the coalition's position to support legitimacy led by Saudi Arabia, which facilitated the truce, lauding the Kingdom's initiative to bring peace, security, and stability to Yemen.

Official sources noted that Alimi warned that the Houthi terrorist attacks on the economic infrastructure would eliminate peace efforts and have disastrous humanitarian repercussions that might include the government's inability to pay employees' salaries and failure to meet the population's basic needs.

He said that the Houthi escalation proved that these militias are manipulated by the Iranian regime, whose regional operations are orchestrated by Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) from "one black room."

According to Saba Agency, Alimi informed foreign ambassadors of the government measures to deter Houthi terrorist violations of international law under the National Defense Council's decision to designate the militias as a "terrorist organization."

He reassured the humanitarian actions organizations that the government has taken into account that humanitarian and relief interventions will not be affected all over the country.

The President provided a detailed presentation about the outcomes of the ongoing reforms of the Council and government and the needed international support to bolster the reformative campaign.

Alimi referred to the achievements in institutionalizing services, combating corruption, and protecting rights and freedoms, including activating the role of judicial, parliamentary, and oversight bodies.

He touched on the ongoing efforts to rebuild the army and security institutions and service reforms in various sectors with the support of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The Ambassadors praised the government's initiatives to mitigate the humanitarian suffering and its constructive dealing with the de-escalation efforts.

They confirmed their full support for the economic and services reforms in the government-held governorates.

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Lieutenant-General Mohsen al-Daeri did not rule out a return to the military option if efforts to renew the UN truce collapsed.

Daeri confirmed, in statements carried by the al-Arabiya channel, that the armed forces and the supporting coalition forces have many alternative and coordinated plans for an unconventional war and battles.

He said that the military committee formed to unify the forces made significant achievements and accomplished most of the theoretical matters. The authorities will organize the field committees to implement everything agreed upon.



Local Peace Efforts in Yemen Outpace UN Performance

UN steps in late as local efforts succeed in reopening Yemen roads (UN)
UN steps in late as local efforts succeed in reopening Yemen roads (UN)
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Local Peace Efforts in Yemen Outpace UN Performance

UN steps in late as local efforts succeed in reopening Yemen roads (UN)
UN steps in late as local efforts succeed in reopening Yemen roads (UN)

Local peace initiatives in Yemen have made notable strides in recent years, eclipsing the stalled efforts of United Nations mediators since the collapse of the Kuwait-hosted peace talks in mid-2016, which were derailed by the Iran-aligned Houthis.

These efforts have achieved key breakthroughs, particularly in facilitating prisoner exchanges and reopening roads between provinces – areas where UN-led negotiations have largely faltered.

Since the Houthis seized the capital and toppled the internationally recognized government in late 2014, UN envoys have made limited headway. The only tangible outcome was the 2018 Stockholm Agreement, which sought to halt fighting around the strategic Red Sea port of Hodeidah – a deal that analysts say primarily benefited the Houthis.

A separate nationwide ceasefire was brokered through regional diplomacy in 2022, but it remains fragile and at risk of collapse amid repeated violations by Houthi forces.

In the realm of prisoner swaps, local initiatives have far outpaced the UN's achievements. While the United Nations has overseen the release of around 2,500 detainees from both government and Houthi sides, grassroots negotiators have facilitated the exchange of more than 11,000 prisoners, along with the recovery of dozens of bodies.

As interest in UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg’s visits and initiatives wanes among Yemenis, local politicians and activists say few expect him to achieve any real breakthrough.

Many believe Grundberg now waits for regional powers to lead negotiations and merely lends UN legitimacy to any resulting agreements.

While the UN-led process remains stalled, local initiatives have delivered meaningful gains, particularly in reopening roads long blockaded by Houthi forces. The rebels had used road closures to punish civilians and restrict the movement of goods into areas under their control.

Activists credit local mediators with playing a pivotal role in easing the Houthi-imposed siege on Taiz by reopening the key road linking the city center to the eastern suburb of Al-Hawban — a move widely seen as a humanitarian relief.

The momentum of these local efforts continued with the reopening of a major route connecting the southern port city of Aden to Houthi-held areas through the provinces of Al-Dhale and Ibb, restoring a vital commercial and civilian artery.

With no new rounds of UN-sponsored talks since the collapse of the Kuwait negotiations, Yemen’s grassroots peace initiatives are rekindling hopes for further breakthroughs beyond road openings and prisoner swaps.

Local mediators are now pushing the Houthis to reopen Al-Fakher road in Al-Dhale province, which leads to the neighboring city of Ibb.

They are also working to reopen a vital route linking Abyan and Al-Bayda provinces through the mountainous Thura Pass — a road that would cut travel time between the two regions by half.

The UN has expressed support for these local initiatives aimed at restoring road links across a country fractured by nearly a decade of conflict.

Grundberg’s office said it recently dispatched a delegation to Al-Dhale, where officials met with government representatives and security leaders to discuss the latest proposal to reopen the main route connecting the capital Sanaa with the southern port city of Aden via Al-Dhale.