Yemeni Chief of Staff Accuses Houthis of Rejecting Peace, Pursuing Iran’s Interests 

The Saudi and Yemeni military officials meet in Riyadh. (SPA)
The Saudi and Yemeni military officials meet in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Yemeni Chief of Staff Accuses Houthis of Rejecting Peace, Pursuing Iran’s Interests 

The Saudi and Yemeni military officials meet in Riyadh. (SPA)
The Saudi and Yemeni military officials meet in Riyadh. (SPA)

Chief of General Staff of the Yemeni Armed Forces Lieutenant General Sagheer bin Aziz stressed on Thursday that the Iran-backed Houthi militias will not agree to peace because they are bound to fulfilling Iran’s destructive agenda in the region. 

The Yemeni official met his Saudi counterpart Fayyadh bin Hamed Al Ruwaili and Commander of the Joint Forces and Deputy Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant General Mutlaq bin Salem Al-Azima in Riyadh. 

Official Yemeni sources said the meeting tackled issues of common interest and ways to bolster relations between the Saudi and Yemeni armed forces. 

Bin Azizi briefed the officials on field developments and the latest Houth terrorist attacks. He noted their violations of the now expired United Nations truce and how they aborted efforts to renew it. 

He stressed that the militias continue to reject peace and prolong the war in implementation of Iran’s destructive agenda in Yemen and the Arab region. 

Moreover, he warned of the Houthis’ constant threats to marine navigation. 

The militias will not yield to peace calls as they don’t even believe in peace in the first place, bin Aziz remarked. 

Fulfilling peace will prevent them from carrying out their sectarian agenda that is “alien to the Arab identity, but only emerges in times of chaos and destruction,” he added. 

He hailed the role played by the Arab coalition, led by Saudi Arabia, in supporting the Yemeni armed forces in all aspects. 

“This support is not unusual from our brothers in Saudia Arabia, which does not hesitate to support all Arab causes,” he went on to say. 

Al Ruwaili, for his part, underscored Saudi Arabia and the Arab coalition’s support to the legitimate Yemeni government and armed forces as they seek to end the terrorist Houthi coup and achieve the aspirations of the Yemeni people, reported Yemen’s state news agency Saba. 



Australian Deputy PM Stresses Importance of Partnership with Saudi Arabia

Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles attends the annual Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) meeting at Lancaster House in London, Britain, 16 December 2024. EPA
Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles attends the annual Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) meeting at Lancaster House in London, Britain, 16 December 2024. EPA
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Australian Deputy PM Stresses Importance of Partnership with Saudi Arabia

Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles attends the annual Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) meeting at Lancaster House in London, Britain, 16 December 2024. EPA
Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles attends the annual Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) meeting at Lancaster House in London, Britain, 16 December 2024. EPA

Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles stressed the strong relations between Saudi Arabia and Australia, noting that the Kingdom stands as Australia's second-largest trading partner in the Middle East.

In a statement issued by his office, Marles indicated that his visit to the Kingdom and the UAE seeks to enhance collaborative efforts within the G20 and other multilateral institutions and aims to emphasize the unwavering commitment to a rules-based international order.

The statement further emphasized that the Kingdom is a crucial partner for Australia and that the visit presents an opportunity to broaden economic ties and explore avenues for deeper cooperation with regional leaders.

Marles said that this visit underscores Australia's commitment to fortifying economic and diplomatic ties with the Kingdom, recognizing its crucial role as a partner in addressing shared global challenges.

Marles met with Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz in Riyadh on Wednesday.