Houthis misinterpreted terror delisting as green light for escalation: Coalition spokesman Al-Malki

Al-Malki on how Houthis responded to US terrorist delisting by upping hostile acts
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Al-Malki: Houthis are common threat to the international community
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Updated 24 March 2021
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Houthis misinterpreted terror delisting as green light for escalation: Coalition spokesman Al-Malki

  • Saudi-led Coalition spokesman tells Arab News that militia’s behavior is no different from Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula or Daesh
  • The Iranian involvement in Yemen is nothing but a proxy war and the Houthis are just a card in Iranian hands, Al-Malki says

RIYADH: Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia has responded to its removal from Washington’s list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) by escalating its attacks on the governments in Aden and neighboring Saudi Arabia, Brigadier General Turki Al-Malki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led Coalition, has told Arab News in an exclusive interview.

The US State Department branded the Houthis (also known as Ansar Allah) an FTO on Jan. 19 this year in one of the final acts of the Donald Trump administration in its “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran and its proxy armies in the Middle East.

Far from repaying the Joe Biden administration’s gesture of reversing the designation on Feb. 15, Al-Malki says the Houthis have actually escalated their attacks on Yemeni government forces and its cross-border missile and drone assaults on Saudi civilians and infrastructure.

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“We think the Houthis have misinterpreted the decision to be delisted from the FTO,” Al-Malki said.

“That has led them to start increasing their hostile acts and to start increasing the number of attacks using ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) inside Yemen and toward its neighbors.”

Al-Malki, who has served as Coalition spokesman since 2017, believes the Houthis’ terror designation had been well deserved given its behavior, which closely resembles the activities of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and Daesh.

“If you go back to the threat by the Houthis in 2016, the Houthi militia targeted an American vessel, a military ship, called the USS Mason, and the American administration at that time struck a couple of targets inside Yemen to counter that attack,” Al-Malki said.

“There is no difference between the Houthi militia’s activity in the southern Red Sea and also the Bab Al-Mandab compared to that of Al-Qaeda in Yemen, which also struck an American ship back in 2000, called USS Cole. So, it is the same activity they are doing. The threat is not just for the Kingdom,” he said.

“The only difference between the Houthis and other terrorist groups around the world is, first of all, they are the first group that has obtained ballistic missiles, UAVs, cruise missiles and bomb-laden USVs — and that’s never happened, that a terrorist group has obtained this kind of capability. 

“Also, the Houthis want to practice their terrorist acts under the frame of a country. If we look at Daesh, AQAP and other terrorist groups around the world, they mostly work independently ... . But they (the Houthis) want to practice their ideology, they want to practice their malign activity, under the umbrella of a Yemeni government. These are the only two differences.”

Although Al-Malki believes the escalation of violence — including the Houthis’ latest assault on Marib — is part of a wider strategy to negotiate from a position of strength, he argues the militia’s backers in Tehran are in fact exploiting the conflict to bolster their own bargaining power in future talks over its nuclear program.

THENUMBER

$430m

* Saudi Arabia’s donation to Humanitarian Response Plan of UN agencies for Yemen in 2021.

“When we talk about Marib, I think the Houthis … want to come to the table with a strong hand. They want to have Marib under control so when they come to the table they can give some concessions,” Al-Malki said.

“The Iranian intervention is making things complicated in Yemen, because they are escalating the situation right now knowing that they want to sit with the P5+1 in their nuclear agreement and they want to use Yemen as a card. And I am sure the Houthis can see this.

“They are just a card in the hand of the Iranians, of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and they (the Iranians) are going to give it away the first (thing when they) sit at the (negotiating) table.”

Fighting in Yemen escalated in 2015 when the Houthis overthrew the UN-recognized government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. Backed by multiple global and regional actors, the Coalition launched a military campaign to restore the legitimate government to power.




Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki Al-Malki giving explanations during a press conference, in Riyadh, on the missile debris fired on March 28 by Yemeni Houthi militia. (AFP/File Photo)

Iran’s support for the Houthis has been an open secret since long before the Houthi takeover of Sana’a in 2015. It has allowed the brutal war to rage on unabated and one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises to fester. In fact, Al-Malki believes Tehran has no interest in peace in Yemen until conditions favor its own geopolitical agenda.

“The IRGC generals, with the support of the Iranian regime, don’t want good faith or talks between the Houthis and the Americans, the international community, the Yemeni government and the Coalition … . They want to make things complicated. They don’t want the Yemenis to reach a political solution to end the crisis in Yemen.”

For Al-Malki, it is Tehran’s supply of advanced weaponry to the Houthi militia that has allowed the war in Yemen to grind on for six long years.

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“When the campaign started, we knew exactly what the capability of the Yemeni national army was. Yet we saw how the Houthis started launching ballistic missiles and UAVs towards the cities and the villages of the border,” Al-Malki said.

“Looking at the timeline, they started increasing their capability, trying to attack Taif. Then they were trying to attack Makkah, which irritated millions of Muslims around the world. And they have started going further in their range to Yanbu and to Riyadh, and also lately they have been trying to attack Saudi Aramco in Dhahran.

“The point is, the Houthis, they don’t have that capability. They have been provided with this capability by the Iranian regime. All the indications, all the physical evidence that we have shown, it shows that the Iranians are involved.”




This combination of handout pictures provided by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on February 27, 2021 shows damage to a home and debris on the roof of a building in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh in the aftermath of a missile attack claimed by Yemen's Houthi militia. (AFP/File Photo)

Although Iran may view the conflict in Yemen as a proxy war, Al-Malki says Saudi Arabia and its Coalition partners see it as a war of necessity.

“The Iranian involvement in Yemen is a proxy war. They are going for a proxy war. For us, it is not a proxy war, because this war is a necessity,” he said.

“If we go back to 2015, the Houthis conducted exercises using heavy weapons on our southern border. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) called on all Yemeni parties to come to Saudi for talks and to try to reach a political solution. The Houthis refused.”

Al-Malki pointed to Iran’s long-running support for the Houthis, which predated the conflict, evidenced by the ship Jihan I, which was seized carrying weapons to Yemen in 2013. He also highlighted the air bridge between Iran and Sanaa, established just days before the capital fell, used to deliver weapons — not food and medicine as Tehran claimed.

For Al-Malki, the only solution to the conflict is a firm stance from the UN, Security Council and the international community against Iran, which would force the Houthis to the negotiating table.

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“I would say more pressure from the international community to hold the Iranian regime accountable for its intervention, and also its violation of 2216 and the other UN Security Council resolutions, will stop the Iranians from supporting the Houthis,” Al-Malki said.

“Those weapons, the major component in support to the Houthis, is what has sustained the Houthis during the conflict. If that support is cut, I think the Houthis could come to the table.

“A political solution is the best for the crisis in Yemen and the Yemeni parties. They have to sit and they have to decide what they need for their country and what they need for their future.”

 

Soleimani’s shadow
Qassem Soleimani left a trail of death and destruction in his wake as head of Iran’s Quds Force … until his assassination on Jan. 3, 2020. Yet still, his legacy of murderous interference continues to haunt the region

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Saudi woman guide showcases Riyadh’s history on free walking tours

Updated 18 June 2025
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Saudi woman guide showcases Riyadh’s history on free walking tours

  • Fatimah Abusrair runs her tours on a voluntary tip-based model
  • Focus on storytelling, personal experiences, she tells Arab News 

RIYADH: A Saudi woman is leading free walking tours through Riyadh’s traditional neighborhoods, blending cultural exploration with a personal, story-driven approach.

Fatimah Abusrair, a communication and marketing consultant — and a licensed guide — told Arab News she sees a growing interest in informal, community-led tours.

“I can see that people care about doing activities and interacting with locals in unofficial ways,” she said.

Abusrair runs the tours on a voluntary tip-based model, and uses a storytelling approach which she says allows her to connect more personally with participants.

“To meet the local person and speak with them, that’s part of the experience,” she said. “I speak about history and culture, but I’m also speaking about myself, my life, and how I was raised.”

She views her approach as a way to strengthen the image of Saudi Arabia and offer visitors a more grounded understanding of local life.

“It increases positivity and understanding,” she added. “They’re not getting the information only from formal resources, but they’re getting exactly the same information from the locals.”

The idea of a tip-based model, Abusrair said, was meant to make the experience more accessible. 

“You truly do not want to pay that much money,” she said. “So the idea of a tip-based (model), it means that they will pay me based on their budget.”

Lawrence Eta, a Canadian participant in a recent tour, spoke about how the experience helped to bridge a cultural gap. 

“For many visitors and newcomers, Saudi Arabia is still unfamiliar territory,” he said. “A personalized tour helps bridge that gap. It gives travelers a chance to experience the city beyond the headlines.”

Unlike traditional tours that focus on facts and timelines, Eta said this experience allowed for genuine connection. 

“This kind of authentic, personal tour adds real depth to tourism in Saudi Arabia,” he said. “It shifts the focus from sightseeing to storytelling, from just visiting places to connecting with people.” 

He added that the experience was especially meaningful because it was led by someone who lives in the city and speaks from personal experience. 

“A personalized walking tour in Riyadh feels truly authentic when led by someone who brings it to life through personal stories, rather than just historical facts.”

Eta said walking alongside people from different countries all curious and open to learning, created a unique sense of community.

“The tour becomes a shared memory, not just a checklist of landmarks,” he said.

As Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector continues to grow, Abusrair sees an opportunity for more community-driven initiatives.

“There are a lot of tourists coming,” she said. “But there aren’t enough guides yet. Everything is new in the tourism industry for us in Saudi Arabia.”

Tourism is a central pillar of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic diversification strategy. One of the initiative’s key goals is to reduce the Kingdom’s dependence on oil by turning it into a global tourism hub.

While Vision 2030 initially aimed to attract 100 million visitors annually by 2030, the Kingdom surpassed that milestone seven years ahead of schedule. The new target has now been raised to 150 million visitors per year.

Abusrair said that being a local guide contributes to how Saudi Arabia is seen. 

“It will support promoting Saudi Arabia as a tourist destination because (tourists hear) people speak,” she said.


Music festival celebrates Franco-Saudi ties

Updated 18 June 2025
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Music festival celebrates Franco-Saudi ties

RIYADH: A music festival celebrating the cultural ties between France and Saudi Arabia will take place in Riyadh, Alkhobar and Jeddah from June 20-26.

Organized by the French embassy in Saudi Arabia in collaboration with the Alliance Francaise, the Saudi Music Hub, Unstable, Hayy Jameel and MDL Beast, the Fete de la Musique will use a shared love of music to bring diverse audiences together.

Since its inception in France in 1982, the Fete de la Musique has evolved into a global celebration and now takes place in more than 120 countries. True to its founding principle of making music accessible to all, free of charge, it has become a powerful platform for cultural dialogue.

The 2025 edition features a diverse and eclectic line-up, highlighting the vibrancy of both the French and Saudi music scenes.

French artists such as Karimouche, a bold, socially engaged voice in word and song, and DJ SONGE, a producer known for immersive Afro-futuristic electronic sets, will share the stage with Saudi talent such as Kosh, a beatmaker who fuses traditional rhythms with deep electronic bass, and Seera, a rising star on the local rock scene.

Each host city will offer a distinctive atmosphere.

Riyadh starts the celebrations on June 20 at Unstable, a hybrid venue at the heart of the Saudi urban music scene. Alkhobar followed on June 21 at the Saudi Music Hub, a space dedicated to music education and performance that offers a more intimate setting. Jeddah will bring the festivities to a close on June 25-26 with performances by powerful female artists at Hayy Jameel, a cultural hub.

More than the concerts it features, the event also fosters cultural exchange, artistic dialogue and discovery, creating lasting connections between French and Saudi artists and audiences.


Four years with a company counts as loyalty in the modern job market, HR summit hears

Updated 18 June 2025
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Four years with a company counts as loyalty in the modern job market, HR summit hears

  • Delegates at Human Resources Summit and Expo in Riyadh hear generational diversity and differing views on career progression are challenges that must be addressed
  • Experts discussed the effects of AI on the job market and explored strategies businesses need to adopt to ‘future-proof’ talent and navigate changing work landscapes

RIYADH: An employee who remains in the same role for four years is considered loyal in today’s job market, the audience at a human resources conference in Riyadh heard during a panel discussion on Tuesday.

The comment, at the Human Resources Summit and Expo, came from Syed Azharudin, director of learning and organizational development at logistical services company Ajex, who cited a recent study into workforce trends. Generational diversity is a factor that has to be addressed, he added.

“The biggest challenge for the HR industry is that you have different generations working together, like Gen X, baby boomers, millennials, Gen Z, and soon Gen Alpha, so you cannot have a blanket approach,” Azharudin said.

People from the most recent generations are more likely to be “job-hoppers,” he added; a study by global tech consultancy FDM Group found that Generation Z respondents were 13 per cent more likely than their non-Gen Z counterparts to view their current role as a stepping stone to a better career. 

In other sessions, HR experts discussed the effects of artificial intelligence on the job market, and explored the strategies companies need to adopt in their attempts to “future-proof” talent and navigate ever-changing work landscapes. As the rapidly evolving technology continues to dominate headlines, they considered a hot-button question: What would the future look like if human labor was replaced by AI?

“We’re not going to lose (our jobs) but we also need to make sure that we go efficiently and with innovative ways to utilize such tools,” said Eid Alkhaldi, succession management director at the Saudi Telcom Company.

During another discussion, Nada Al-Hassan, the Saudi Ministry of Investment’s director of training and development, spoke about ways to advance inclusive leadership in the region. 

“There are a lot of success stories and a lot of initiatives in all governmental sectors (in Saudi Arabia),” she said, highlighting in particular the Vision 2030 Human Resources Development Program and the Saudization program Tawteen.

The Human Resources Summit and Expo began on June 15 and continues until June 19.


Saudia flight from Jeddah to Jakarta diverted after bomb threat, lands safely

Inspections by authorities confirmed the aircraft was secure and the bomb threat was false. (Supplied)
Updated 18 June 2025
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Saudia flight from Jeddah to Jakarta diverted after bomb threat, lands safely

  • ⁠Flight SV5276, bound for Jakarta, was rerouted to a different airport in Indonesia after an email claimed there was an explosive device on board
  • The aircraft landed safely at Kualanamu International Airport in Medan, where passengers and crew evacuated the aircraft and nobody was hurt

RIYADH: Saudia has confirmed that all passengers and crew are safe after a flight from Jeddah to Jakarta made an emergency landing at another airport in Indonesia, Al Arabiya News Channel reported on Tuesday.

The flight was forced to divert after an email threat claimed there was a bomb on board, a Saudia spokesperson said.

Abdullah Al-Shahrani, the airline’s general manager of corporate communications, told Al Arabiya that in response to the security alert, Flight SV5276 was rerouted to Kualanamu International Airport in Medan as a precaution.

The plane landed there safely and all passengers and crew evacuated the aircraft without incident and nobody was hurt, he added. Inspections by authorities confirmed the aircraft was secure and the bomb threat was false. Al-Shahrani said passenger safety remains Saudia’s top priority and the airline was working to help passengers continue their journeys.

In a statement to Arab News, Saudia confirmed: “In response to a security alert received in flight, Saudia diverted Flight SV5276, operating from Jeddah to Jakarta, to Kualanamu International Airport in Indonesia as a precautionary measure.

“The aircraft landed safely, and all guests and crew disembarked without incident. Local authorities conducted standard checks shortly after landing, and have cleared the aircraft for continued operation.

“The safety and well-being of our guests and crew remain Saudia’s highest priority. Full care and support have been provided and onward travel arrangements are being made."


UN two-state conference co-chairs urge renewed push for Palestinian state amid regional escalation

Updated 18 June 2025
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UN two-state conference co-chairs urge renewed push for Palestinian state amid regional escalation

  • The statement said the latest escalation had “necessitated the suspension” of the high-level conference in New York

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and France, co-chairs of the United Nations Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Palestinian Question, joined with the chairs of the conference’s working groups in issuing a joint statement on Tuesday expressing “deep concern” over recent developments in the region, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The statement said the latest escalation had “necessitated the suspension” of the high-level conference, underscoring “the validity of warnings about the fragility of the situation” and the urgent need to “restore calm, respect international law, and strengthen diplomatic action.”

Despite the setback, the group reaffirmed their “full commitment to the conference’s objectives” and pledged to “ensure the continuity of its work and the achievement of its goals,” SPA added.

They added that “the co-chairs of the working groups will announce the date of the conference's roundtables soon,” with the aim of generating “clear and coordinated international commitments” to advance the implementation of a two-state solution.

“In these critical circumstances,” the statement continued, “we must redouble our efforts calling for respect for international law and the sovereignty of states, and to promote peace, freedom, and dignity for all peoples of the region.”

The group also reiterated its “unwavering support for all efforts aimed at ending the war in Gaza” and called for a “just and sustainable settlement of the Palestinian issue,” affirming that regional stability and security hinge on a lasting peace.