CIA Chief Meets Haftar, Dbeibah in Libya

CIA chief William Burns and GNU chief Abdulhamid al-Debibah meet in Tripoli. (Dbeibah's office)
CIA chief William Burns and GNU chief Abdulhamid al-Debibah meet in Tripoli. (Dbeibah's office)
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CIA Chief Meets Haftar, Dbeibah in Libya

CIA chief William Burns and GNU chief Abdulhamid al-Debibah meet in Tripoli. (Dbeibah's office)
CIA chief William Burns and GNU chief Abdulhamid al-Debibah meet in Tripoli. (Dbeibah's office)

US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) chief William Burns started an unannounced trip to Libya on Thursday. 

In his first official visit to the country, Burns met with Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Khalifa Haftar in Benghazi and then with the head of the interim government of national unity (GNU), Abdulhamid Dbeibah in Tripoli. 

According to a statement from Dbeibah’s office, the meeting was attended by Libyan Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush, and intelligence chief Hussein Al-Aeb. 

“During the meeting, Burns stressed the need to develop economic and security cooperation between the two countries, praising the state of stability and growth witnessed by Libya during the recent period,” said the statement. 

Dbeibah, for his part said: “The goal of the Government of National Unity is to stabilize Libya and find international support for elections to take place.” 

Burns' visit followed the surprise extradition last month of a former Libyan intelligence officer accused of making the bomb that exploded on a commercial flight above Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988, killing all onboard and 11 people on the ground. 

In December, Washington announced that Abu Agila Mohammad Masud Kheir Al-Marimi, wanted by the United States for his role in bringing down the New York-bound Pan Am Flight 103 since 2020, was in their custody and would face trial. 

His handover by Dbeibah's government raised questions of its legality inside Libya, which does not have a standing agreement on extradition with the United States. Dbeibah’s mandate remains highly contested after planned elections did not take place in late 2021. 



Suspected US Airstrikes in Yemen Kill at Least 4 People Near Hodeidah

A man holds a rifle as protesters, mainly Houthi supporters, rally to mark the annual al-Quds Day (Jerusalem Day) on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in Sanaa, Yemen March 28, 2025. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah
A man holds a rifle as protesters, mainly Houthi supporters, rally to mark the annual al-Quds Day (Jerusalem Day) on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in Sanaa, Yemen March 28, 2025. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah
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Suspected US Airstrikes in Yemen Kill at Least 4 People Near Hodeidah

A man holds a rifle as protesters, mainly Houthi supporters, rally to mark the annual al-Quds Day (Jerusalem Day) on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in Sanaa, Yemen March 28, 2025. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah
A man holds a rifle as protesters, mainly Houthi supporters, rally to mark the annual al-Quds Day (Jerusalem Day) on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in Sanaa, Yemen March 28, 2025. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah

Suspected US airstrikes battered Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen into Wednesday, with the militias saying that one strike killed at least four people near the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah.

The intense campaign of airstrikes in Yemen under US President Donald Trump, targeting the militias over their attacks on shipping in Mideast waters stemming from the Israel-Hamas war, has killed at least 65 people, according to casualty figures released by the Houthis.

The campaign appears to show no signs of stopping as the Trump administration again linked their airstrikes on the Iranian-backed Houthis to an effort to pressure Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program. While so far giving no specifics about the campaign and its targets, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt put the overall number of strikes on Tuesday at more than 200.

“Iran is incredibly weakened as a result of these attacks, and we have seen they have taken out Houthi leaders,” Leavitt said. “They’ve taken out critical members who were launching strikes on naval ships and on commercial vessels and this operation will not stop until the freedom of navigation in this region is restored.”

Overnight, a likely US airstrike targeted what the Houthis described as a “water project” in Hodeidah governorate's Mansuriyah District, killing four people and wounding others. Other strikes into Wednesday targeted Hajjah, Saada and Sanaa governorates, the militias said.