President Al-Zubaidi: Securing the South Is the Cornerstone and the True Starting Point for Any Serious Battle to Liberate the North

President Aidarous Qassem Al-Zubaidi, President of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and Vice-Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), met on Wednesday at the Presidential Palace in the capital, Aden, with the Governor of Al-Bayda Governorate, Maj. Gen. Al-Khidr Al-Sawadi.

In the meeting, President Al-Zubaidi was briefed by Governor Al-Sawadi on the latest humanitarian conditions in Al-Bayda and the difficult situation the governorate is facing due to the ongoing violations by the Houthi militia.

President Al-Zubaidi affirmed that Al-Bayda represents a strategic depth for the South, highlighting that its liberation from Houthi control is a priority for ensuring the security and stability of the region and enabling its residents to manage the affairs of their own governorate.

The President added that the security and military stability achieved in the South, along with the protection of the political and sovereign gains of the people of the South, is not an end in itself but rather the cornerstone and true starting point for any serious battle to liberate the North from the brutality of the Houthis and noted that Sana’a cannot be liberated with an exposed flank, nor can the Houthis be weakened while smuggling networks continue to supply them through the South.

President Al-Zubaidi reaffirmed his support for the popular resistance in Al-Bayda, asserting the right of its residents to live in dignity and peace, and calling for unified efforts and strengthened resilience among locals in the face of Houthi violations.

In His Excellency's remarks to the Governor, the President said, “Today, we extend our hands, truthfully and courageously, to all honourable national forces in the North and to our sincere brothers confronting the sectarian project. We assure them that the South today is your support, and our forces are your arsenal.”

The President continued: “We are fully prepared to place our military capabilities and our combat experience—which has humbled the Houthis' noses in the dirt—at your side in your sacred battle to reclaim your land and cleanse it of the filth of the imamate. Indeed, this is our firm pledge to all honest people standing against Houthi militias.”

President Al-Zubaidi further added, “We affirm that this fateful partnership is founded on a clear and solid basis, and that the gains of the South are safeguarded, and its security and sovereignty are a red line not open for compromise. On this firm foundation, we will move forward together, shoulder to shoulder, directing the muzzles of our weapons towards the sole enemy that threatens our faith, our Arab identity, and our national security.”

President Al-Zubaidi also noted that the efforts and contributions of the Southern Armed Forces in confronting threats to the security and stability of the region—chief among them the Houthi militias—stem from shared responsibility and duty alongside brotherly countries in the Coalition led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In this context, His Excellency reaffirmed that the South, which stood loyal in 2015, is today even more loyal, stronger, and more prepared to be the spearhead of the Arab project to cut off Iran’s arm in the region and end the Houthi threat to international shipping and neighbouring countries.

At the end of his meeting with Governor Al-Sawadi, President Al-Zubaidi stressed that the era of side battles is over and that the artery that once supplied the Houthis from areas of the South has been severed, and emphasised the importance of cohesiveness under the banner of liberation and that the next objective must be Sana’a—whether through peace or war—until justice is restored and aggression is repelled.

For his part, Governor Al-Khidr Al-Sawadi expressed deep gratitude and appreciation to President Al-Zubaidi for his steadfast and unwavering positions toward Al-Bayda and its popular resistance. He praised the President’s great interest in the governorate affairs and the efforts his Excellency has been making to support the aspirations of its people for freedom and salvation. He affirmed that the people of Al-Bayda, along with millions in the North, stand ready to fight in the battle for freedom and dignity and will be at President Al-Zubaidi’s command.