Yemeni Army Accuses Militias of Testing Anti-Ship Missile

All evidence showed the involvement of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the launching process. Photo: Houthi media
All evidence showed the involvement of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the launching process. Photo: Houthi media
TT
20

Yemeni Army Accuses Militias of Testing Anti-Ship Missile

All evidence showed the involvement of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the launching process. Photo: Houthi media
All evidence showed the involvement of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the launching process. Photo: Houthi media

The Yemeni army accused the Houthi militia of testing an anti-ship missile launched from Sanaa, which landed in the Red Sea waters off Hodeidah.

The army spokesman, Brigadier General Abdo Majali, announced that the Houthis conducted an anti-ship missile test from the Nehm district, which landed west of Hodeidah in international waters.

Majali warned the militias of the consequences, considering it another hostile operation.

He stressed that all evidence showed the involvement of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the launching process and its continuous support for the militia.

Houthi threats and targeting of Shabwa and Hadramout ports undermine regional and international security, said Majali, calling on the international community to shoulder its responsibility in protecting international waterways and ensuring freedom of maritime navigation.

Meanwhile, the head of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, asserted that the decision to classify the Houthis as a terrorist group takes into consideration concerns about the flow of aid.

Alimi received in Riyadh the Chargé d'Affaires of the US Embassy, Inger Tangborn, and they discussed the latest developments in Yemen and the joint efforts to alleviate peoples' suffering.

Official sources said that the meeting touched on the repercussions of Houthi terrorist threats and attacks on the economic and commercial facilities upon the livelihoods of the Yemeni people, the international security and peace, and the required measures to contain those implications.

Alimi cited the government measures to deter the Houthi terrorist threat, including the National Defense Council's resolution to designate the militia as a terrorist organization.

According to official sources, the President reassured humanitarian organizations, relief agencies, and the private sector, stressing that designating Houthis as a terrorist organization will take into account all concerns related to the flow of aid to the Yemeni people, warning against dealing with militias outside the framework of approved agreements.

The President highly praised the role of the UK and US in supporting the Central Bank of Yemen with $300 million from Yemen's Special Drawing Right of the International Monetary Fund, reported Saba News Agency.

He asserted the importance of this step to bolster trust in the national currency, help ongoing imports of essential commodities, and improve the livelihood of the Yemeni people across the country.

The President praised the US efforts to implement the resolution to ban weapons sent to the Houthi terrorist militias, which led to the interception of many Iranian smuggling ships, most recently when the US Fifth Fleet intercepted an Iranian ship laden with explosives in the Gulf of Oman.

Yemenis and the international community fear that the Houthi escalation would torpedo all peace efforts, especially since the group insisted on rejecting to renew the UN-sponsored ceasefire and deliberately aggravated the situation by bombing oil export ports.

Next week, the UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, will brief the UN Security Council on his latest efforts to persuade the Houthis to renew the armistice.



Clashes Erupt between Local Factions, Armed Tribal Groups in Syria’s Suwayda

Scenes of normal life in the town of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya (SANA)
Scenes of normal life in the town of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya (SANA)
TT
20

Clashes Erupt between Local Factions, Armed Tribal Groups in Syria’s Suwayda

Scenes of normal life in the town of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya (SANA)
Scenes of normal life in the town of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya (SANA)

Intense clashes erupted in southern Syria between local factions in Suwayda province and armed tribal groups from the surrounding countryside, stoking fears of renewed sectarian violence between communities in Suwayda and neighboring Daraa.

The fighting broke out in the western countryside of Suwayda, just a day after Druze religious leaders and community elders announced the start of an agreement intended to bring stability to the area. Conflicting reports have emerged about the reasons behind the escalation.

Local Telegram channels reported what they called a “military escalation” as armed Bedouin groups, described as “outlaws,” were accused of attempting to break a siege around Bedouin-inhabited villages in the western countryside. Mortar exchanges and machine gun fire were reported between the two sides.

In particular, the village of Al-Dara, home to Bedouin tribes, was reportedly shelled from the nearby town of Al-Thaala. In response, tribal fighters launched a counteroffensive, leading to clashes that involved the use of heavy weaponry.

The independent news outlet Suwayda 24 reported that Al-Thaala itself came under attack from unknown groups firing mortars and machine guns from the western outskirts of the town. The incident triggered a gun battle between local defenders and the attackers.

Rumors further fueled tensions, with some claiming that local factions attempted to destroy a mosque and targeted civilian neighborhoods. Meanwhile, Al-Rasid, another outlet covering Suwayda, noted a sharp increase in provocative videos and audio messages alleging that Suwayda factions were besieging tribal areas and setting fire to mosques.

Officials have denied these claims. Religious leaders reaffirmed that mosques remained protected by local factions. Despite this, armed groups from eastern Daraa, reportedly not locals, began shelling Suwayda villages.

Sources in Daraa told Suwayda 24 that these groups, arriving on motorcycles and in vehicles equipped with mortars and heavy weapons, have been trying to provoke unrest for days. Videos and messages circulated on WhatsApp were allegedly aimed at inciting local communities.

The clashes have already had humanitarian consequences. Mortar attacks on villages including Haran, Al-Thaala, Rasas, and Ara resulted in the death of one civilian and injuries to eight others. Dozens of families, particularly women and children, have fled to safer areas.

Local sources say the violence is a deliberate attempt to sow discord between the Druze and tribal communities. They urged residents of both Suwayda and Daraa to resist incitement and work together to de-escalate the situation.

Meanwhile, Syria’s Interior Ministry announced the release of 22 detainees from the towns of Sahnaya and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya in Damascus Countryside, stating they were not involved in bloodshed during recent unrest.

Separately, the Israeli military announced it had raided and destroyed a former Syrian regime command post on Mount Hermon. Israeli forces reportedly uncovered weapons caches and military infrastructure during the operation and seized the materials.