Yemen’s ruling council names new cabinet after deadly clashes in the south

Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council Appoints New Cabinet Amid Southern Tensions

The head of Yemen’s ruling leadership council has appointed a new cabinet, a move that comes weeks after deadly clashes in the country’s south and the dissolution of a powerful separatist group. The development highlights continuing fractures within the Saudi-led coalition fighting against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.

Rashad al-Alimi, who leads the Presidential Leadership Council, announced the 35-member cabinet through a presidential decree published by Yemen’s state-run SABA news agency late Friday. Prime Minister Shae’a al-Zandani will chair the cabinet while also serving as foreign minister. The new government includes only two women: Afrah al-Zouba as minister of planning and international cooperation, and Ahd Jaasous as state minister for women’s affairs.

In key security appointments, Maj. Gen. Taher al-Aqili was named defense minister, while Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Haidan will head the Interior Ministry. Both officials are expected to oversee Saudi-backed efforts to dismantle militias of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a separatist group backed by the United Arab Emirates.

Yemen has been engulfed in a devastating civil war for more than a decade, with complex dynamics involving sectarian tensions, tribal grievances, and the intervention of regional powers. The conflict has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with millions facing food insecurity and displacement.

The Iran-aligned Houthis maintain control over the most populous northern regions, including the capital Sanaa, while the internationally recognized government, supported by a Saudi-led coalition, operates primarily in southern Yemen. Though technically part of the anti-Houthi alliance, the Southern Transitional Council has pursued its own agenda, advocating for an independent state in southern Yemen.

Tensions escalated in December when STC forces advanced into the oil-rich provinces of Hadramout and Mahra, seizing critical infrastructure including the presidential palace in Aden, the main southern city. The STC offensive displaced forces affiliated with the Saudi-supported National Shield Forces, another group within the anti-Houthi coalition.

Saudi-backed government forces have since managed to reclaim control of Hadramout, the presidential palace in Aden, and military camps in al-Mahra. Following these setbacks, the STC announced its dissolution, marking a significant shift in the southern political landscape.

The recent escalation has exposed long-simmering tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, both key members of the coalition fighting the Houthis. Saudi Arabia has publicly accused the UAE of supporting the separatists and allegedly helping STC leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi—who is wanted on treason charges—escape from Yemen to Abu Dhabi. This unusual public disagreement signals growing strains within what was once a united front against the Houthi rebels.

The broader Yemen conflict has remained largely at a stalemate in recent months. The Houthi rebels reached a deal with Saudi Arabia that halted their attacks on the kingdom in exchange for an end to Saudi-led airstrikes on Houthi-controlled territories. This arrangement has reduced the intensity of fighting but has not led to a comprehensive peace agreement.

The new cabinet formation represents an attempt to consolidate the internationally recognized government’s authority amid these complex power struggles. However, analysts remain skeptical about whether this restructuring will effectively address the deep divisions within Yemen’s anti-Houthi camp or improve prospects for peace in the war-torn country.

As Yemen enters another year of conflict, international humanitarian organizations continue to warn about deteriorating conditions for civilians caught in the crossfire, with limited access to essential services and growing economic hardship across the country.