Thwarting Houthi attacks in Yemen and confronting ballistic missiles, and a meeting between Sisi and Al-Hakim in Cairo

Yemeni government forces thwarted Houthi attempts on the Haifan and Al-Maqtara fronts, which aimed to approach the Haijat Al-Abd road, and aimed to isolate Taiz Governorate from the southern regions all the way to Aden.

Government forces announced that the vital road was secured, and the movement of citizens and travelers returned. The spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Colonel Majid Al-Nuzaili, said that units from the Taiz axis, the Tur Al-Baha axis, and the “Giants” brigades, with the support of the popular resistance, confronted the infiltration attempts and forced the attacking elements to retreat, indicating that they incurred human and material losses.

In Haifan District, the forces responded to a Houthi attack on Al-Ahkoum’s isolation, while the Al-Ashbout and Haijat Al-Abd area in Al-Maqtara witnessed clashes with elements who tried to approach the road and position themselves in locations close to it.

In turn, the forces of the “Coalition to Support Legitimacy” in Yemen thwarted and destroyed, yesterday (Thursday), six ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi militias towards Saudi Arabia, in an attempt to target the cities of Taif and Yanbu. Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Maliki threatened the Houthis, stressing that the escalation of their terrorist operations “will be dealt with firmly.”

This targeting coincided with the Saudi Civil Defense sounding early warning sirens in Mecca, Jeddah, Taif, Yanbu and Tabuk, before announcing that the danger had passed in the five cities.

On Thursday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi received the head of the Iraqi “Hekma Movement,” Ammar al-Hakim, where he stressed his country’s constant concern for the security and stability of Iraq, and its support for all measures taken by the Iraqi state “to preserve Iraq’s sovereignty and the unity and integrity of its lands.”

The talks also dealt with the Iraqi government’s efforts to “fight corruption and restrict weapons.” The meeting held in Cairo was attended by the Vice President of the “Al-Hikma Movement” Mohsen Al-Hakim, the Advisor to the President of the “Al-Hikma Movement,” Ahmed Al-Hakim, the Head of Egyptian General Intelligence, Hassan Rashad, and the Iraqi Ambassador, Qahtan Taha Janabi.

Al-Sisi had visited Baghdad in June 2021, in the first visit by an Egyptian president to Iraq in decades as part of the tripartite cooperation mechanism that brought together Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan, and aimed to enhance political, economic, and security coordination between the three countries.

According to a statement by Egyptian presidential spokesman Mohamed El-Shenawy, during Thursday’s meeting, President Sisi stressed “the historical fraternal relations between Egypt and Iraq and their brotherly peoples,” stressing Egypt’s keenness “to communicate with the institutions of the Iraqi state and all political and national forces in light of the strong fraternal relations between the two countries.”

He also valued Iraq's role in the war on terrorism and extremist ideology and working to uproot their roots, as well as "the constructive role played by the head of the Al-Hikma Movement to enhance stability, reduce political disparities, and advance Iraq's national interest."

While Ammar Al-Hakim stressed his pride in the historical relations and fraternal ties that link his country with Egypt, stressing the centrality of its role in enhancing security and stability in the region, “including supporting Iraq and its endeavors to restore its natural leading position at the Arab and regional levels.”

He also indicated his keenness to consult with the Egyptian President regarding regional developments and to find out his vision of ways to reduce the escalation and current geopolitical tensions, as well as distancing Iraq from their negative consequences.

Security and stability

Regarding the meeting, a member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs and former Assistant Foreign Minister, Ambassador Salah Halima, pointed out the presence of some elements in Iraq “that are not in line with the general trend towards achieving security and stability in the country,” pointing out the need for there to be a move to prevent any practices that take place outside the control of the existing regime in Iraq.

He added to Asharq Al-Awsat: “Things may require a very large amount of cooperation between Egypt and Iraq, especially since Iraqi national security is an integral part of Arab national security in general, and has a close connection to security and stability in the Red Sea region and the Gulf region.”

Regarding the implications of the visit of the head of the “Al-Hikma Movement” to Cairo, he said that it indicates the necessity of some kind of agreement to remove all sources of threat in Iraq, and to stop any escalation or developments that would destabilize security and stability, and it also pushes towards greater cooperation between the two sides in all fields.

According to the statement of the presidential spokesman, the meeting touched on the current regional scene and its repercussions on the countries and peoples of the region, especially Egypt and Iraq. In this context, President Sisi reviewed the national vision based on the call to give priority to peaceful solutions to crises and conflicts, and support legitimate institutions and the concept of the unifying national state.

He also addressed the ongoing Egyptian efforts to reduce tension and avoid sliding into a new wave of escalation, stressing the importance of Iraq continuing to play a constructive role to enhance the collective security of the Arab countries and preserve the capabilities of the peoples of the region.

Momentum in visits

The recent period has witnessed an increase in visits between Cairo and Baghdad. On August 27, 2024, Al-Sisi received former Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani, on his third visit to Egypt, and then discussed “strengthening cooperation in the fields of energy, trade, investment and reconstruction,” in addition to contacts at the level of foreign ministers of the two countries to discuss calm in the region.

At the end of last August, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi met with the head of Egyptian intelligence, who conveyed to him a message from Sisi, in which he praised the depth of the strategic relations between the two countries, and his constant readiness to support efforts to achieve the aspirations of the two brotherly peoples in all fields, according to a statement from the “Iraqi Council of Ministers.”

A high-level technical delegation from the Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources also visited Egypt at the beginning of this month, with the aim of “strengthening technical cooperation and exchanging experiences between Cairo and Baghdad.”

The Palestinian issue was a focus in the meeting between Al-Sisi and the head of the Iraqi “Al-Hikma Movement” on Thursday, where the Egyptian President spoke about his country’s efforts to support the Palestinian people through efforts to implement the second phase of the Sharm El-Sheikh Agreement and the “American Peace Plan,” in addition to introducing aid and intensifying humanitarian relief efforts in the Gaza Strip.

He stressed “Egypt’s firm position regarding the inevitability of establishing the Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the decisions of international legitimacy as a comprehensive, just, and only solution to the Palestinian issue.”

For thousands of Yemenis, crossing the Gulf of Aden is no longer just a dangerous journey. Rather, for many families, it has turned into an emergency route in search of safety, after the Houthis took control of the western coast and the expansion of the scope of confrontations west of Taiz and the outskirts of Lahj. Where are the highlands east of Bab al-Mandab.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees confirmed that the number of Yemenis arriving in Djibouti exceeded the highest daily rate recorded since 2015, noting that it and its partners are preparing to receive more than 10,000 refugees, with sea conditions expected to improve by mid-October, which may allow more crossings.

With the renewed violence, the repercussions of the crisis are no longer limited to inside Yemen, as the confrontations have led to an increase in cross-border movement, especially towards the Horn of Africa region, where those fleeing are searching for a safe haven outside the country.

As of September 18, the arrival of 3,601 new people from Yemen to Djibouti was recorded, while neighboring countries host thousands of Yemeni refugees and asylum seekers, including about 4,000 people in Djibouti and 8,000 in Somalia.

These numbers reflect the expanding regional dimension of the Yemeni crisis, and the need for continued humanitarian support and protection efforts in Yemen and neighboring countries alike.

An international appeal

The UNHCR said that its office in Djibouti had received only 15 percent of the required funding, and appealed for $13.5 million urgently to be provided to ensure that new arrivals have access to registration, reception, protection and other basic services.

In response to recent developments, UNHCR declared a Level 1 emergency in Yemen, Djibouti and Somalia, allowing the rapid mobilization of resources and personnel, and strengthening the humanitarian response through cash assistance, shelter and protection services.

The Commission warned that the intensification of fighting in Yemen could lead to large-scale waves of displacement, with increasing numbers of people expected to flee within the country and through Bab al-Mandab to Djibouti, Somalia and other countries.

It expressed deep concern about the increasing impact of the conflict on civilians, including the acceleration of displacement and the accompanying suffering and increasing humanitarian needs.

According to the Commission, the fighting has expanded across multiple fronts. This exacerbated the displacement crisis, pushing more than 130,000 people to flee their homes since the beginning of this September. He said that civilians bore the brunt of the conflict, with at least 110 casualties reported, including 28 deaths.

The Commission expressed its concern about the possibility of an increase in the number of victims and displaced people during the coming period, which may increase humanitarian needs at a time when the security conditions and restrictions on access are hampering relief efforts.

Taiz is at the forefront

Taiz Governorate (southwest) remains at the heart of the crisis, recording more than 60 percent of the total cases of forced displacement. Many displaced families within the governorate itself are still unable to move to safer areas. Due to continued fighting, road closures, and lack of transportation and fuel.

Displacement cases were also recorded in Al-Jawf, Ma’rib, and Al-Hudaydah governorates, a reflection of the expanding scope of confrontations and the multiplicity of fighting fronts.

On the other hand, the majority of newly displaced families found refuge in the governorates of Aden, Lahj, Abyan, and Al-Dhalea, in addition to Ma’rib, where these areas received more than 90,000 people.

But reaching these areas does not mean the end of suffering; Many families are arriving at already overcrowded displacement sites, in urgent need of shelter, food, clean water, health care and protection, adding new pressures on fragile services and infrastructure.

Even before the recent escalation, more than 5.2 million people were internally displaced in Yemen, while more than 22 million people live in need of humanitarian assistance, including internally displaced people, and about 65,000 refugees and asylum seekers, most of them from Somalia and Ethiopia.

Given that more than 70 percent of displaced families reside in fragile tents or unsuitable places for housing, the necessary funding has been secured to provide cash assistance to help 500 displaced families in Aden and Lahj obtain temporary housing, according to UN data.