Yemen Appoints New Prime Minister

Yemen’s Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council has accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Salem bin Breik and appointed Foreign Minister Shaea Mohsen Al-Zandani as the country’s new prime minister, according to the Yemeni state news agency Saba.

The agency reported on Thursday that bin Breik formally submitted his resignation, which was approved by the council, before Al-Zandani was tasked with forming the next government. The leadership change comes amid growing political and regional tensions surrounding Yemen.

In recent months, Yemen has increasingly become a point of strain between Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

In December, the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council seized control of areas in southern and eastern Yemen, advancing close to the Saudi border in a move Riyadh viewed as a threat to its national security.

Saudi-backed forces later regained control of most of those areas, though sharp disagreements over several political and security issues continue to fuel tension between the two Gulf allies.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE previously cooperated within a military coalition against the Iran-backed Houthi movement during Yemen’s prolonged civil war, a conflict that has resulted in one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.

The appointment of Al-Zandani marks a new phase for Yemen’s government as the country navigates internal divisions, regional rivalries and ongoing efforts to stabilize political authority after years of conflict.