Riyadh (South24 Center)

Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) stated on Monday, March 9, that it has raised the level of security and military readiness amidst escalating regional tensions, warning the Iran-backed Houthi group against any escalation that threatens the security of the country and the wider region.

The remarks came during a council meeting held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, chaired by PLC Chairman Rashad Al-Alimi, according to an official statement.

The statement said the Council emphasized "raising security and military readiness and protecting the internal front," asserting that the Yemeni state will not allow its territories to be used as a "platform to threaten regional security or international navigation."

The Council added that it would firmly confront any attempts to drag Yemen into confrontations that serve "foreign agendas."

Furthermore, the Council held the Houthis and their backer, the Iranian regime, fully responsible for any escalation that could threaten the security of Yemen, the region, and its key maritime waterways.

The Council also condemned what it described as Iranian attacks targeting Gulf states, expressing Yemen's solidarity with Saudi Arabia and the countries of the region.

The meeting comes amid rising tension in the Middle East following the military confrontation that erupted in late February between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other.

During the meeting, the Council also discussed the Yemeni government's work program for 2026, including plans to enhance the state's presence in government-controlled areas and unify security and military decision-making.

According to the statement, the meeting also reviewed economic and service priorities, including protecting the national currency, improving electricity, water, and healthcare services, and rehabilitating infrastructure.

The PLC meeting takes place as the Council faces increasing questions about its cohesion and political legitimacy, following structural changes earlier in 2026.

On January 7, the Council announced the termination of the membership of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) President, Aidrous Al-Zubaidi, from the Presidential Leadership Council and referred him to the Attorney General on charges of committing "High Treason," according to an official decree.

Days later, the Council also decided to terminate the membership of Vice President Faraj Salmin Al-Bahsani, a move Al-Bahsani described as a coup against the Council and the power transfer declaration, as well as an act of political exclusion.

On January 15, Council President Rashad Al-Alimi issued a decree appointing former Defense Minister Mahmoud Al-Subaihi and former Hadramout Governor Salem Al-Khanbashi as two new members of the Presidential Leadership Council to fill the vacant seats.