Yemeni Reality Echo: Exclusive
Saad bin Atef al-Awlaki, the leader of Al-Qaeda in Yemen, has released his first video message since assuming leadership last year, issuing direct threats against former U.S. President Donald Trump, billionaire Elon Musk, and several prominent American officials. The half-hour video, circulated through pro-Al-Qaeda channels, comes amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
The footage featured images of Trump, Musk, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Logos of Musk’s companies, including Tesla, also appeared throughout the video. Al-Awlaki declared that “there are no red lines after what happened in Gaza,” asserting that retaliation is “a legitimate right.”
This escalation comes as Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) is believed to be weakened by U.S. drone strikes and internal disputes, though it remains one of the most dangerous branches of the network since the death of Osama bin Laden. Al-Awlaki is on the U.S. most-wanted list, with a $6 million bounty on his head.
The video sends a clear message to the international community: Yemen remains an active battleground. Al-Awlaki appears to be leveraging regional turmoil to reassert AQAP’s presence as a key actor in the country’s chaotic landscape.