In a recent development from the Middle East, the new leader of al-Qaida’s Yemeni branch has issued threats against U.S. President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The al-Qaida faction, known as AQAP (al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula), released a video message featuring Saad bin Atef al-Awlaki, marking his first such address since assuming leadership of the group last year.
The message, disseminated online early Saturday by AQAP supporters, calls for individual militant actions targeting leaders in Egypt, Jordan, and the Gulf Arab states. The move is a reaction to the ongoing war that has devastated Gaza. Al-Awlaki’s video includes imagery of prominent figures like Trump and Musk, along with others such as U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Logos from Musk’s business ventures, including Tesla, also made appearances in the footage.
Al-Awlaki’s rhetoric underscores a lack of restraint following recent events in Gaza, claiming that retaliation is justified. AQAP, once regarded as al-Qaida’s most perilous division, has faced setbacks due to internal conflicts and strategic U.S. drone strikes. Despite these challenges, AQAP remains a formidable force. Leaders, including the infamous Osama bin Laden and his successor Ayman al-Zawahri, historic figures in the 9/11 attacks, have been eliminated, yet the branch continues its operations.
Al-Awlaki himself is a figure with a hefty $6 million bounty placed on his head by the United States, due to his vocal endorsements of attacks on America and its partners. He took command from Khalid al-Batarfi, the group’s former leader reported deceased in 2024.
The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict has also seen Yemen’s Houthi rebels amplifying their activity. Supported by Iran, the Houthis have been launching missiles at Israel and targeting commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea. The U.S. Navy has encountered intense combat with the Houthis, marking its most significant engagement since World War II.
The former Trump administration had intensified military strikes against the Houthis, which ceased shortly before Trump’s recent Middle East visit. Remaining a substantial force in Yemen’s prolonged war, the Houthis have gained international attention and leverage. Meanwhile, AQAP seems to be attempting to align itself with these dynamics, with al-Awlaki aiming to capitalize on the region’s unrest.
The U.N. estimates that AQAP consists of approximately 3,000 to 4,000 active fighters. Their funding methods include bank robberies, weapon smuggling, counterfeiting, and ransom activities. Although the Houthi Shiite rebels have denied affiliations with AQAP, predominantly a Sunni faction, there has been a noticeable decline in AQAP attacks on the Houthis, focusing instead on their Saudi-led adversaries.
According to Mohammed al-Basha, a Yemen expert, the video signals al-Awlaki’s attempt to position himself as an alternative advocate for Gaza’s cause, potentially competing with the Houthi’s gained reputation as defenders in the Arab world. This development underscores Yemen’s continuing strategic significance on the global stage, reminding us that its issues remain pertinent despite shifting international priorities.