'No red lines': Al-Qaeda Yemen threatens Trump, Musk; uses Gaza as rallying cry

The person of al-Qaeda's Yemen subdivision has issued threats against US President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk implicit the ongoing Israel-Hamas warfare successful Gaza, marking his archetypal nationalist quality since taking power of the radical successful 2024.In a half-hour video released online aboriginal Saturday by al-Qaeda successful the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) supporters, Saad bin Atef al-Awlaki called for retaliatory attacks and urged lone-wolf militants to assassinate leaders successful Egypt, Jordan, and Gulf Arab nations implicit their roles successful the conflict, which helium described arsenic devastating to Palestinians successful Gaza.

The video featured images of Trump, Musk, US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, on with logos of Musk's companies, including Tesla.“There are nary reddish lines aft what happened and is happening to our radical successful Gaza," al-Awlaki declared. "Reciprocity is legitimate.”

AQAP: Once al-Qaeda's astir unsafe branch

Though weakened successful caller years by interior divisions and US drone strikes, AQAP was agelong considered al-Qaeda's astir unsafe subdivision pursuing the 2011 sidesplitting of Osama bin Laden. The radical has retained power successful Yemen and continues to advocator for planetary jihad.

Al-Awlaki, who has a $6 cardinal US bounty connected his head, is accused by Washington of inciting attacks against the US and its allies.

He succeeded erstwhile person Khalid al-Batarfi, whose decease AQAP confirmed successful 2024.

Gaza struggle draws successful determination militants

AQAP’s threats travel arsenic Yemen’s Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, person besides drawn planetary attraction for launching missiles astatine Israel and attacking ships successful the Red Sea, prompting a dense US naval response. The Pentagon has described the ongoing struggle with the Houthis arsenic the astir aggravated combat since World War II.Though the Houthis and AQAP person historically been astatine odds, the Shiite Houthis and Sunni AQAP fought bitterly successful Yemen’s civilian war, AQAP’s attacks connected Houthi targets person decreased successful caller years, portion the radical continues to onslaught forces from the Saudi-led coalition.UN estimates suggest AQAP retains a web of 3,000 to 4,000 progressive fighters and supporters. The radical funds its operations done slope robberies, smuggling, counterfeiting, and ransom activities.As the Houthis summation popularity crossed the Arab satellite for confronting Israel, experts judge al-Awlaki is utilizing the Gaza warfare to reclaim AQAP’s relevance.“For a nationalist information and overseas argumentation assemblage progressively disengaged from Yemen, this video is simply a wide reminder: Yemen inactive matters,” said Mohammed al-Basha of the Basha Report.“As the Houthis summation popularity arsenic leaders of the Arab and Muslim world's 'resistance' against Israel, al-Awlaki seeks to situation their dominance by presenting himself arsenic as acrophobic astir the concern successful Gaza,” helium added.