Yemen Appoints New Prime Minister Amid Regional Tensions

Sanaa, Jan 2026 : Yemen’s Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council has accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Salem bin Breik and appointed Foreign Minister Shaya Mohsen Zindani as the country’s new prime minister, according to a report by the state news agency Saba on Thursday. The leadership transition comes at a time of heightened political and security challenges in the war-torn country.

Saba said bin Breik formally submitted his resignation to the Presidential Leadership Council, which approved his request. Following this, the council entrusted Zindani with the responsibility of forming a new cabinet, a task that will be closely watched given Yemen’s fragile political environment and ongoing conflict.

Zindani, who previously served as foreign minister, is expected to play a key role in navigating Yemen through complex internal divisions and delicate regional dynamics. His appointment signals a potential reshuffle within the internationally recognised government as it seeks to consolidate authority and restore stability in areas under its control.

The leadership change comes against the backdrop of rising tensions in Yemen and increasing strains between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two influential regional players with deep involvement in the conflict. In December, the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) seized control of several areas in southern and eastern Yemen, advancing close to the Saudi border. Riyadh reportedly viewed the move as a direct threat to its national security.

Saudi-backed forces later regained control of most of the seized territories, but the incident exposed growing differences between Saudi Arabia and the UAE. These divergences extend beyond Yemen to broader regional geopolitics and oil production policies, contributing to friction between the two Gulf allies.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE were previously united as part of a military coalition fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen’s long-running civil war. The conflict has devastated the country and triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with millions facing food insecurity and displacement.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)