An Al Arabiya journalist killed in a car bomb explosion in Yemen

A Yemeni journalist working for the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television network was killed when an explosive device planted in his vehicle detonated in eastern Yemen. The attack, for which no group has claimed responsibility, comes amid heightened political and security tensions in the country.

According to Al Arabiya, Mohammed Aydah, a correspondent for the channel and its sister channel Al Hadath, was killed Wednesday evening in the city of Mukalla, located in the Hadramawt Governorate. The explosion occurred when an explosive device was hidden inside his car.

The television station reported that Mukalla's security services had warned the journalist about a month earlier that he was receiving threats, but provided no further details. At this stage, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

This assassination comes as Yemen enters a new period of instability. Between November and January, clashes erupted between Saudi-backed forces, acting on behalf of the internationally recognized Yemeni government, and separatists from the Southern Transitional Council, supported by the United Arab Emirates. During these clashes, control of Mukalla changed hands several times before falling back to the Riyadh-backed forces.

The Southern Transitional Council condemned the killing of Mohammed Aydah, stating that it revealed the persistent security challenges in Hadramawt Governorate. The movement attributed this situation to the dismantling of units under its command, which had helped drive Al-Qaeda out of the region in 2016.

The head of Yemen's Presidential Council, Rashad al-Alimi, ordered the establishment of a high-level joint commission of inquiry to investigate the assassination. He assured that the authorities would do everything in their power to identify and bring those responsible to justice.

Yemen remains one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists. Media professionals there regularly face violence, intimidation, and risks related to the conflict that has been tearing the country apart for more than a decade.