Yemen's Al Qaeda leader threatens Trump, Musk over Israel's war on Gaza
The leader of Al Qaeda's Yemen branch has targeted US President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk over United States backing for Israel's ongoing war on the Gaza Strip and its besieged Palestinian population.
'There are no red lines after what happened and is happening to our people in Gaza,' said Saad bin Atef Al Awlaki in a half-hour video message that was spread online on Saturday by supporters of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the Yemeni branch of the armed group. 'Reciprocity is legitimate,' he said.
The message featured images of Trump and Musk, US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, as well as logos of Musk's businesses – including electric carmaker Tesla. Born in 2009 from the merger of Al Qaeda's Yemeni and Saudi factions, AQAP is completely distinct from Yemen's Houthi rebel group, which controls most of the country and agreed to a ceasefire with the US earlier this month.
AQAP grew and developed amid the chaos of Yemen's war, which has pitted the Houthis against a Saudi-led coalition backing the government since 2015. (Agencies)
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