Yemen's al-Alimi rules out new truce with Houthis, seeks lasting peace

Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, told media representatives on Wednesday that the government would not pursue a new truce with the Houthis, declaring that previous ceasefires had only allowed the rebels to rebuild their military capabilities before resuming hostilities.

"We are not for a new truce that reproduces previous experiences," al-Alimi said. He called for "lasting and sustainable peace" grounded in a state that monopolizes weapons and sovereignty, upholds constitutional equality, and maintains institutions that serve citizens rather than rule over them.

'Project of war'

Al-Alimi stated that the government had concluded the Houthis amount to "a project of war and destruction, not a project of peace," accusing the group of serving an Iranian agenda dating to the 1980s whose strategic goal is controlling the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. He noted that international perception has shifted away from accommodating the Houthis toward protecting Yemen, regional stability, and international waterways.

"The Yemeni government, the regional community, and the international community are now moving in one direction: How do we protect Yemenis first, international navigation, the region, and international peace and security?" he said.

Deterrence and state restoration

The council chief emphasized that Yemen's armed forces now operate under a unified command structure and stand ready to defend citizens, national facilities, and state institutions. "There will be no action by the Houthi militias from now on without a response or comprehensive deterrence," he stated. "Our strategic objective is to restore state institutions and bring down the (Houthi) coup," al-Alimi added.

Clashes between government forces and the Houthis resumed last month after a relative lull since 2022, leaving dozens killed and injured. The conflict has devastated Yemen's economy and infrastructure, triggering one of the world's worst humanitarian crises as the UN continues to push for a political settlement.