Yemen FM meets Fidan, hails Türkiye’s regional role

Ankara, October 29, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and U.S. President Donald Trump held a telephone conversation late on Tuesday, October 28, to discuss recent geopolitical shifts in the Middle East and Europe. According to a statement released by Turkey’s Communications Directorate, the leaders addressed developments concerning the Strait of Hormuz and Yemen, alongside ongoing diplomatic efforts to terminate the war in Ukraine. Erdoğan indicated that the Mecca Pact, a trilateral alliance involving Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia, is closely monitoring the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and Yemen while actively pursuing diplomatic resolutions. He further stated that Turkey stands ready to support initiatives aimed at reviving dialogue between Moscow and Kyiv to conclude the conflict through negotiation. Regarding bilateral relations, Erdoğan pledged to continue strengthening ties with Washington and expanding cooperation across all sectors. He highlighted that the following year will mark the centenary of diplomatic relations between Turkey and the United States. In response, Trump offered congratulations to Erdoğan and the Turkish public on Republic Day and expressed hopes for a successful Organization of Turkic States summit. This exchange followed their last in-person encounter during the NATO summit in Ankara in early July, where Trump also conducted an official visit to the capital. The two leaders additionally met during the United Nations General Assembly session in September. Parallel to these high-level discussions, Yemen’s Foreign Minister Afrah al-Zouba met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Istanbul on Saturday, October 24. Al-Zouba praised Turkey’s strategic centrality and its long-standing bilateral connections, which trace back to the Ottoman era. In an interview with the state-run Anadolu Agency, she described Turkey as an extremely important and central nation in the region, noting that Yemen welcomes Ankara’s political and diplomatic initiatives. She affirmed that Turkey plays a vital role in supporting regional security and stability. During their talks, al-Zouba briefed Fidan on the escalation of attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi group. Fidan reaffirmed Turkey’s support for Yemen and its government, expressing Ankara’s desire to assist in establishing security within the country. The diplomatic engagement occurs amidst intensified fighting between Yemen’s internationally recognized government and the Houthis. This resurgence in hostilities has raised significant concerns regarding safety in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical maritime corridor linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Al-Zouba stated that a durable peace requires the disarmament of combatants, the restoration of state institutions, and the integration of the Houthis into the political system solely as a political entity without the capacity for armed aggression. Any settlement, she argued, must be grounded in the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative, the outcomes of Yemen’s National Dialogue Conference, and relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, specifically Resolution 2216. The conflict in Yemen escalated in 2014 when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and other territories, compelling the recognized government to relocate. A Saudi-led coalition subsequently intervened in March 2015 to support the government. After an uneasy four-year truce, fighting reignited in July, coinciding with the broader regional crisis stemming from the U.S.-Iran conflict. The war has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths in one of the world’s poorest nations, which already faced a severe humanitarian crisis. Saudi Arabia has endured sustained Houthi attacks this month, including strikes on Riyadh’s international airport that killed thirteen people, marking the kingdom’s deadliest incident in years. Turkey, having recently joined a defense pact with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, has expressed solidarity with Riyadh. On Friday, ministers from Britain, France, Germany, and Italy convened in Istanbul with counterparts from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Egypt to discuss security in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb, as well as Houthi attacks on Saudi territory. Al-Zouba characterized the military operation launched against the Houthis as necessary to restore control over the country’s sovereign decision-making. She recalled that Rashad al-Alimi, chair of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, initiated Operation Yemen Dawn on October 5, 2026. The objective of this operation is to liberate the country from Houthi militia control and reestablish state authority. Al-Zouba asserted that the Houthis are attempting to transform Yemen into a platform that threatens the region and the world. She cited their recent threats to maritime traffic in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait as clear evidence of this intent. Furthermore, she accused the Houthis of violating Yemen’s sovereignty by collaborating with terrorist organizations in the Horn of Africa and other areas, aiming to use Yemen as a base for attacks against neighboring states.