Yemen's Presidential Council to Up Economic Measures to Confront Houthis

Head of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Rashad al-Alimi with three other members (Saba)
Head of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Rashad al-Alimi with three other members (Saba)
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Yemen's Presidential Council to Up Economic Measures to Confront Houthis

Head of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Rashad al-Alimi with three other members (Saba)
Head of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Rashad al-Alimi with three other members (Saba)

The Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council asserted that the government would continue its efforts to curb the impact of Houthi attacks on oil export ports and address the economic war waged by the militias against the government.

Official Yemeni sources stated that the Council held a meeting chaired by Rashad al-Alimi to address the latest developments in the country, including the economic situation following the government policies aimed at alleviating the repercussions of Houthi attacks on oil facilities and ports.

The meeting also aimed to confront restrictions imposed on the activities of the private sector and the movement of individuals, commodities, and humanitarian aid.

Saba state news agency reported that the Council stressed the importance of doubling efforts to improve rational management of resources, public revenues, deposits, and generous development aid from Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

The Council praised the royal directives from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman, to deposit $1 billion at the Central Bank of Yemen. The move promotes the bank's capabilities in managing monetary policy, maintaining the stability of the national currency, and thwarting the plans of terrorist militias.

Meanwhile, media in reported that local authority led by Mohammed Ali Yasser met with the US ambassador to Yemen, Steven Fagin, and the commander of the US Fifth Fleet, General Charles Cooper, and several US officials at the headquarters of the Coalition to Support Legitimacy.

The talks stressed on the importance of continuing efforts to combat the smuggling of Iranian weapons and drugs to Yemen.

It addressed efforts to combat arms and drug smuggling and boost cooperation, coordination, and capacity-building for the Coast Guard to enhance maritime security and international freedom of navigation.

The sources quoted the US ambassador as saying that the visit aims to show Washington's support for Yemen and al-Mahra governorate, and to boost many aspects in the security field and combating smuggling and terrorism.

Earlier, the British Royal Navy and the US Navy intercepted and confiscated an Iranian arms shipment in the Gulf of Oman, likely destined for the Houthis in Yemen.

Yemeni Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani said this confirmed the Tehran regime's escalation of arms smuggling operations to the Houthis in flagrant violation of international resolutions.

Eryani explained that the Joint Maritime Forces managed to carry out seven interception operations in the past three months.

He said the escalation of arms smuggling operations to Houthi militias revealed intentions to thwart international efforts to restore the ceasefire, accusing Tehran of blocking peace efforts.

The minister appreciated the efforts of the joint naval forces, led by the US Navy and the British Royal Navy, in thwarting Iranian arms smuggling operations. He called for support for the Yemeni Coast Guard to raise their readiness in combating terrorism, arms and drug smuggling and other illegal activities.

Eryani called on the international community, the United Nations, and the Security Council's permanent members to take a firm stance to stop Iranian activities that undermine security and regional and global peace.

Meanwhile, the Yemeni government affirmed its support for UN and international efforts to renew and expand the armistice to launch a comprehensive peace process leading to ending the coup and restoring the state.

Foreign Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak urged the international community to pressure the Houthi militia and its supporters to comply with the requirements of a lasting and comprehensive peace that all Yemenis seek.

He called for providing the necessary support to the Yemeni government to carry out its responsibilities in normalizing economic conditions, providing services to citizens, and implementing the required reforms.



Libya Says UK to Analyze Black Box from Crash That Killed General

Military personnel carry portraits of the Libyan chief of staff, General Mohamed al-Haddad (2-R), and his four advisers, who were killed in a plane crash in Türkiye, during an official repatriation ceremony at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tripoli, Libya, 27 December 2025. (EPA)
Military personnel carry portraits of the Libyan chief of staff, General Mohamed al-Haddad (2-R), and his four advisers, who were killed in a plane crash in Türkiye, during an official repatriation ceremony at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tripoli, Libya, 27 December 2025. (EPA)
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Libya Says UK to Analyze Black Box from Crash That Killed General

Military personnel carry portraits of the Libyan chief of staff, General Mohamed al-Haddad (2-R), and his four advisers, who were killed in a plane crash in Türkiye, during an official repatriation ceremony at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tripoli, Libya, 27 December 2025. (EPA)
Military personnel carry portraits of the Libyan chief of staff, General Mohamed al-Haddad (2-R), and his four advisers, who were killed in a plane crash in Türkiye, during an official repatriation ceremony at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tripoli, Libya, 27 December 2025. (EPA)

Libya said on Thursday that Britain had agreed to analyze the black box from a plane crash in Türkiye on December 23 that killed a Libyan military delegation, including the head of its army.

General Mohammed al-Haddad and four aides died after a visit to Ankara, with Turkish officials saying an electrical failure caused their Falcon 50 jet to crash shortly after takeoff.

Three crew members, two of them French, were also killed.

The aircraft's black box flight recorder was found on farmland near the crash site.

"We coordinated directly with Britain for the analysis" of the black box, Mohamed al-Chahoubi, transport minister in the Government of National Unity (GNU), said at a press conference in Tripoli.

Haddad was very popular in Libya despite deep divisions between west and east.

Haddad was chief of staff for the Tripoli-based GNU.

Chahoubi told AFP a request for the analysis was "made to Germany, which demanded France's assistance" to examine the aircraft's flight recorders.

"However, the Chicago Convention stipulates that the country analyzing the black box must be neutral," he said.

"Since France is a manufacturer of the aircraft and the crew was French, it is not qualified to participate. The United Kingdom, on the other hand, was accepted by Libya and Turkey."

After meeting the British ambassador to Tripoli on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Taher al-Baour said a joint request had been submitted by Libya and Türkiye to Britain "to obtain technical and legal support for the analysis of the black box".

Chahoubi told Thursday's press briefing that Britain "announced its agreement, in coordination with the Libyan Ministry of Transport and the Turkish authorities".

He said it was not yet possible to say how long it would take to retrieve the flight data, as this depended on the state of the black box.

"The findings will be made public once they are known," Chahoubi said, warning against "false information" and urging the public not to pay attention to rumors.


STC Says Handing over Positions to National Shield Forces in Yemen's Hadhramaut, Mahra

National Shield forces in Hadhramaut. (National Shield forces)
National Shield forces in Hadhramaut. (National Shield forces)
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STC Says Handing over Positions to National Shield Forces in Yemen's Hadhramaut, Mahra

National Shield forces in Hadhramaut. (National Shield forces)
National Shield forces in Hadhramaut. (National Shield forces)

Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces in Yemen began on Thursday handing over military positions to the government’s National Shield forces in the Hadhramaut and al-Mahra provinces in eastern Yemen.

Local sources in Hadhramaut confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the handover kicked off after meetings were held between the two sides.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the sources said the National Shield commanders met with STC leaderships to discuss future arrangements. The sourced did not elaborate, but they confirmed that Emirati armored vehicles, which had entered Balhaf port in Shabwah were seen departing on a UAE vessel, in line with a Yemeni government request.

The National Shield is overseen by Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) Chairman Dr. Rashad al-Alimi.

A Yemeni official described Thursday’s developments as “positive” step towards uniting ranks and legitimacy against a common enemy – the Houthi groups.

The official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, underscored to Asharq Al-Awsat the importance of “partnership between components of the legitimacy and of dialogue to resolve any future differences.”

Meanwhile, on the ground, Yemeni military sources revealed that some STC forces had refused to quit their positions, prompting the forces to dispatch an official to Hadhramaut’s Seiyun city to negotiate the situation.


One Dead as Israeli Forces Open Fire on West Bank Stone-Throwers

Israeli troops during a military operation in the Palestinian village of Qabatiya, near the West Bank city of Jenin, 27 December 2025. (EPA)
Israeli troops during a military operation in the Palestinian village of Qabatiya, near the West Bank city of Jenin, 27 December 2025. (EPA)
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One Dead as Israeli Forces Open Fire on West Bank Stone-Throwers

Israeli troops during a military operation in the Palestinian village of Qabatiya, near the West Bank city of Jenin, 27 December 2025. (EPA)
Israeli troops during a military operation in the Palestinian village of Qabatiya, near the West Bank city of Jenin, 27 December 2025. (EPA)

The Israeli military said its forces killed a Palestinian in the occupied West Bank in the early hours on Thursday as they opened fire on people who were throwing stones at soldiers.

Two other people were hit on a main ‌road near the ‌village of Luban ‌al-Sharqiya ⁠in Nablus, ‌the military statement added. It described the people as militants and said the stone-throwing was part of an ambush.

Palestinian authorities in the West Bank said ⁠a 26-year-old man they named as ‌Khattab Al Sarhan was ‍killed and ‍another person wounded.

Israeli forces had ‍closed the main entrance to the village of Luban al-Sharqiya, in Nablus, and blocked several secondary roads on Wednesday, the Palestinian Authority's official news agency WAFA reported.

More ⁠than a thousand Palestinians were killed in the West Bank between October 2023 and October 2025, mostly in operations by security forces and some by settler violence, the UN has said.

Over the same period, 57 Israelis were killed ‌in Palestinian attacks.