RIYADH — The Chairman of Presidential Leadership Council of Yemen Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi expressed profound appreciation for Saudi Arabia's unwavering support for Yemen, emphasizing that without this aid, the Yemeni government would have struggled to fulfill its basic obligations, including paying salaries. "Our relationship with Saudi Arabia is truly exceptional, with deep-rooted security, social, and economic dimensions that cannot be compared to any other bilateral relationship," he said while speaking to Okaz. Al-Alimi commended the Kingdom's humanitarian and development initiatives through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center and the Saudi Program for the Development and Reconstruction of Yemen. He also praised Project Masam for its critical role in clearing landmines planted by the Houthis across the country. Al-Alimi has described the terrorist designation of the Houthi militia by the United States as the best peaceful option to deter the practices of this group, which has consistently rejected all diplomatic efforts to end the suffering of the Yemeni people. Expressing his hope that the terrorist militia would fully grasp this firm message, Al-Alimi urged the Houthis to prioritize the interests of the Yemeni people over those of their foreign backers and to embrace a comprehensive peace solution based on national, regional, and international references. "For the Yemeni government and our brothers in the Coalition to Support Legitimacy, the decision to classify the Houthis as a terrorist group was made long ago. Now that this designation has been reinstated, we will focus on mitigating its humanitarian impact on the Yemeni people, ensuring continued humanitarian aid, trade activities, and the flow of remittances from Yemeni expatriates worldwide," he said. Al-Alimi pointed out that when the U.S. administration previously revoked the terrorist designation, the Houthis misinterpreted this move as a sign of weakness. This emboldened them to prolong the war, escalate their terrorist attacks on oil facilities, civilian infrastructure, and international shipping routes, thereby deepening the humanitarian crises in Yemen and the region. Houthis responded peace initiatives with escalation President Al-Alimi emphasized that the Presidential Leadership Council and the government have welcomed every peace initiative, including the truce accepted in April 2022. Despite the Houthis' repeated military violations and gross human rights abuses, the government has upheld the truce to safeguard the interests of the Yemeni people. However, in response to these peace efforts, the Houthis launched attacks on oil export ports in Hadramout and Shabwa provinces, targeted international shipping lanes, and deprived Yemenis of essential revenues needed to pay salaries and provide basic services. These actions have worsened the humanitarian crisis and led to an unprecedented depreciation of the national currency. He further explained that, in response to international calls for de-escalation, the Yemeni government froze its decision to relocate the central bank headquarters from Houthi-controlled Sana'a to the temporary capital, Aden. This was intended to facilitate meaningful economic discussions and revive peace efforts in line with Saudi Arabia's proposed roadmap. However, the Houthis responded with further escalations—hijacking three Yemenia Airways planes, attacking the Safer oil facility in Marib, kidnapping humanitarian workers, activists, and journalists, and enacting racist laws to monopolize public sector employment for their loyalists. Houthi war kills half a million Yemenis Al-Alimi highlighted that after more than two decades of rebellion and armed coups against national agreements, the international community must adopt firm policies to deter the Houthis and push them towards peace under national, regional, and international resolutions —particularly UN Security Council Resolution 2216. "The war ignited by the Houthis has claimed over 500,000 Yemeni lives, pushed more than 20 million into hunger, and displaced millions—both internally and abroad—under dire conditions," he said. "Without international sanctions and measures to cut off their sources of funding and weapons, the Houthis will not seriously engage in efforts to achieve comprehensive and just peace. Instead, they will continue their extortion tactics against the regional and international communities." Al-Alimi acknowledged global concerns regarding the potential humanitarian impact of forceful measures against the Houthis. However, he stressed that if the world continues to fear that military action and terrorist designation might obstruct fragile de-escalation efforts, then it must find equally effective alternatives for deterrence. "The best solution is for the international community to support the legitimate government in reclaiming full sovereignty over Yemen's territory," he asserted. Houthis claim 'divine right' to rule Reiterating that peace remains a strategic priority for the Presidential Leadership Council and the government, Al-Alimi noted that peace can only be achieved with a serious and responsible partner. He warned against recognizing any armed faction that challenges state authority and disregards national laws and international treaties. "The Houthis do not oppose peace out of concern for national sovereignty, as they claim. Rather, they seek to secure a position above the state for their leaders, who believe they have a divine right to rule. The Yemeni people will never accept this, no matter the sacrifices required," he said. Al-Alimi emphasized that the most viable path to peace is by supporting the legitimate government in strengthening the economy, providing essential services, and protecting Yemen's territorial waters. Abuse of UN employees as hostages Al-Alimi denounced the Houthis' widespread human rights violations in areas under their control, particularly their abductions of international staff members. He warned that despite attempts by Houthi political factions to deceive the international community, their extremist tactics remain unchanged. "These militias will continue their arrests, abuses, and threats to maritime security because this is their way of life," he said. He criticized the UN for failing to relocate its offices from Sana'a to Aden, arguing that this inaction has inadvertently enabled the Houthis to use UN staff and resources as hostages for political leverage. Emergence of a stronger national alliance against Houthis On the achievements of the Presidential Leadership Council and allied forces, Al-Alimi said that the national alliance against the Houthis has grown stronger and more influential regionally and internationally. "When the Presidential Leadership Council was formed on April 7, 2022, with the support of the Coalition to Support Legitimacy led by Saudi Arabia, its primary goal was to unify national factions and strengthen their role in both peace and war efforts," he explained. Al-Alimi highlighted that the council recently adopted a comprehensive strategy covering political, economic, and military aspects, and that was made possible through collective responsibility and commitment to partnership. Houthi attacks exacerbate economic grievances Acknowledging the economic hardships and protests in liberated provinces, Al-Alimi assured that the council understands the legitimate grievances arising from financial challenges, exacerbated by Houthi attacks on oil infrastructure. "The Houthis believe that their economic warfare will cripple the government's ability to provide services and pay salaries, creating an artificial equivalency between liberated areas and Houthi-controlled regions where salaries have been suspended for eight years. This strategy will fail as before," he affirmed. Regarding Hadramout, he outlined a plan to address local demands through an executive framework developed in collaboration with the government and local authorities. "Hadramout has long been a model of stability and development. The Presidential Leadership Council and the government will spare no effort in ensuring its rightful place in the national framework."
