Israeli delegation reportedly visits Aden, meets with pro-coalition officials

ADEN, July 28 (YPA) -A number of high-ranking officials in the government loyal to the Saudi-led coalition reportedly met with an Israeli delegation in the southern city of Aden, in a move that underscores the growing political divergence between this government and widespread Yemeni public support for the Palestinian cause.

According to a report published last night by The Jerusalem Post, Israeli journalist Jonathan Spyer visited Aden and held meetings with several pro-coalition  government figures, as well as leaders from the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC).

His article revealed previously undisclosed details about the current political dynamics and regional alignments in southern Yemen.

According to the report, Spyer’s visit was part of broader Israeli efforts to explore potential partnerships in Yemen to counter the growing influence of the Houthi movement, also known as Ansarullah. Despite repeated US and Israeli airstrikes, the Houthis have maintained their ban on Israeli shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, which remains in effect.

The article indicated a rising Israeli interest in developments in Yemen and hinted at the existence of unofficial communication channels, particularly in the face of shared threats posed by the Houthis to both Israel and its allies.

Spyer quoted pro-coalition Defense Minister Mohsen Al-Daari, who expressed deep frustration over the US decision to enter into a ceasefire agreement with the Houthis in May without coordination or consultation with the coalition-backed government.

According to Spyer, Al-Daari voiced disappointment over Washington’s failure to carry out a joint ground offensive against Houthi forces during the escalation period, noting that the US acted unilaterally in both the escalation and the subsequent ceasefire declaration.

However, Al-Daari also expressed a sense of relief that no ground offensive was launched against Sana’a during the period of heightened US military activity, stating that “the United States would have abandoned us and left us to face the Houthis alone—just as it did with Israel,” according to Spyer.

Al-Daari also referred to the failure of a joint U.S.-British-Saudi-UAE plan to seize control of Hudaydah and Sanaa in an earlier phase of the conflict, attributing the decision to abandon the operation to what he described as “international pressure.”

According to him, this prevented coalition-backed forces from regaining control over strategic areas along the Red Sea—an apparent reference to efforts aimed at protecting Israeli maritime routes, which have been completely blocked  by Sanaa forces.

The article also quoted an officer in the STC  who told journalist Spyer that all they need is a “green light from Washington” to launch operations against Sanaa.

According the Jerusalem Post, this a real sign of the STC’s willingness to cooperate with foreign partners, including Israel, to counter the Houthis’ growing influence.

Israeli officials, according to the article, have attributed the failure of repeated Israeli and coalition’s attacks on Yemen to a lack of understanding of Yemeni society.

They stressed the importance of supporting anti-Houthi factions within the country—particularly those aligned with the Saudi- and UAE-led coalition—that may be open to collaboration with “Israel” in future ground offensives.

These meetings come amid intensifying Israeli military operations in Gaza, which have led to widespread destruction, severe humanitarian conditions, and growing international concern over Israeli war crimes and violations of international law. Since October 2023, the Zionist aggression has reportedly resulted in more than 204,000 people killed or injured.

These suspicious meetings seek to undermine Sanaa’s efforts to resist the Israeli occupation. The Sanaa front is the only Arab front steadfastly supporting Gaza since the beginning of the aggression.

@E.Y.M